Productivity v.s. Personal Effectiveness

"Productivity" is the term of choice for people broadly interested in spending their time more deliberately.

I think there's a few key assumptions about "productivity" worth challenging:

• People should spend their time efficiently
• #to/flesh-out

Unfortunately, people's focus on "optimizing productivity" can inadvertently reinforce toxic beliefs about themselves and their value as people. See Oliver Burkeman's blog for more on this.

I also think productivity and the influencers that promote it focus too heavily on doing more rather than doing what truly matters.

I much prefer the term "personal effectiveness."

Personal = the things you consider important (to you, personally, and in the wider world)
Effectiveness = Your ability to bring about desired outcomes in those areas

Thus, personal effectiveness is the subject of improving your ability to generate desired outcomes in the areas you consider important.

To me, the term "personal effectiveness" emphasizes more appropriately captures what I think productivity should be about - cultivating your ability to bring about meaningful change in your life, community, and the world.