> How I Tripled My Productivity By Doing Less. Directed by Rian Doris, 2023. YouTube, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eash3X5Zi8A>. # Compress work hours to increase your productivity ^dadebc ## Working fewer hours can increase productivity - Science shows that working long hours can decrease productivity - By working fewer hours, one can unlock productivity superpowers ## Productivity is not about working more hours - Successful people are not thousands of times more productive than others, but they have certain skills. - The biggest blocker of productivity is thinking that time is the main thing that drives productivity. - Additional hours often lead to decreased total output. ## Limiting work hours increases productivity - Work compression forces elimination and prioritization skills - Perceived importance increases, allowing for better prioritization - Sequencing, elimination, and determination of important tasks improve ## Perceived importance and challenge skills balance are key to achieving flow state - Perceived importance increases motivation and focus. - Challenge skills balance must be tuned to avoid anxiety or boredom and achieve flow state. ## Work compression helps in deepening recovery and escaping productivity guilt - Flow states happen in a four-stage cycle (see [[@riandorisHowUnlockInsane2023|The four pillars of flow state]]), and most people can't get into flow because they can't recover properly. - True time off only occurs when the constant knowing obligation to work is put fully on pause. ## Consistency beats intensity for productivity - Recovery is part of the work and helps in getting into flow more consistently - Unlock 5x productivity by locking work hours in a box and handling basic digital hygiene ## Limiting work hours can lead to increased productivity and new insights - Turn off all notifications and stick to compressed hours - Constraints can lead to new ways of thinking and problem-solving ## To increase productivity, subtract hours and multiply output - By compressing work hours, you can amplify your resources and accomplish more. - Initially, there may be missed deadlines and lower results, but sticking to the process will lead to success.