Pseudo-productivity

In the absence of clear standards for high-quality work, people often resort to what Cal Newport calls “pseudo-productivity.” We fill up our time with activities that look like work but don’t really create results. We might do things like check email, respond quickly to Slack messages, or reorganize our to-do lists, and end the day without much to show for it. 

As I ponder pseudo-productivity in the workplace, I am struck by how it can play out in our personal lives as well. It’s easy to fill our leisure time with activity that is sterile and unproductive of the goods we actually want. And unfortunately, this can also happen with the time we spend with family and friends. 

This week, I invite you to ask: 

Where in my life might pseudo-productivity be happening? What would need to change for it to become truly productive? 

God bless,
Dan