The Rise and Fall of Getting Things Done | The New Yorker

It was titled “Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity,” and, for Mann, it changed everything. The time-management system ... SkiptomaincontentIntheearlytwo-thousands,MerlinMann,aWebdesignerandavowedMacintoshenthusiast,wasworkingasafreelanceprojectmanagerforsoftwarecompanies.Hehadheldsimilarrolesforyears,soheknewtheinsandoutsofthejob;hewassurprised,therefore,tofindthathewasoverwhelmed—notbytheintellectualaspectsofhisworkbutbythemanysmalladministrativetasks,suchasschedulingconferencecalls,thatbubbledupfromaturbulentstreamofe-mailmessages.“Iwasinthisbattingcage,delugedwithinformation,”hetoldmerecently.“Iwenttocollege.Iwassmart.WhywasIhavingsuchahardtime?”Mannwasn’taloneinhisfrustration.Inthenineteen-nineties,thespreadofe-mailhadtransformedknowledgework.Withnearlyallfrictionremovedfromprofessionalcommunication,anyonecouldbotheranyoneelseatanytime.Manye-mailsbroughtobligations:toansweraquestion,lookintoalead,arrangeameeting,orprovidefeedback.Worklivesthathadoncebeensequential—twoorthreeblocksofwork,brokenupbymeetingsandphonecalls—becamefrantic,improvisational,andimpossiblyoverloaded.“E-mailisaballofuncertaintythatrepresentsanxiety,”Mannsaid,reflectingonthisperiod.In2003,hecameacrossabookthatseemedtoaddresshisfrustrations.Itwastitled“GettingThingsDone:TheArtofStress-FreeProductivity,”and,forMann,itchangedeverything.Thetime-managementsystemitdescribed,calledG.T.D.,hadbeendevelopedbyDavidAllen,aconsultantturnedentrepreneurwholivedinthecrunchymountaintownofOjai,California.AllencombinedideasfromZenBuddhismwiththestrictorganizationaltechniqueshe’dhonedwhileadvisingcorporateclients.Heproposedatheoryabouthowourmindswork:whenwetrytokeeptrackofobligationsinourheads,wecreate“openloops”thatmakeusanxious.Thatanxiety,inturn,reducesourabilitytothinkeffectively.Ifwecouldavoidworryingaboutwhatweweresupposedtobedoing,wecouldfocusmorefullyonwhatwewereactuallydoing,achievingwhatAllencalleda“mindlikewater.”Tomaintainsuchamind,onemustdealwithnewobligationsbeforetheycanbecomeentrenchedasopenloops.G.T.D.’ssolutionisamulti-stepsystem.ItbeginswithwhatAllendescribesasfullcapture:theideaistomaintainasetofin-boxesintowhichyoucandropobligationsassoonastheyarise.Onesuchin-boxmightbeaphysicaltrayonyourdesk;whenyousuddenlyrememberthatyouneedtofinishataskbeforeanupcomingmeeting,youcanjotareminderonapieceofpaper,tossitinthetray,and,withoutbreakingconcentration,returntowhateveritwasyouweredoing.Throughouttheday,youmightaddsimilarthoughtstootherin-boxes,suchasalistonyourcomputerorapocketnotebook.Butjottingdownnotesisn’t,initself,enoughtoclosetheloops;yourmindmusttrustthatyouwillreturntoyourin-boxesandprocesswhat’sinsidethem.Allencallsthisfinal,crucialstepregularreview.Duringreviews,youtransformyourhaphazardremindersintoconcrete“nextactions,”thenenterthemontoamasterlist.Thislistcannowprovideamotiveforceforyourefforts.Inhisbook,Allenrecommendsorganizingthemasterlistintocontexts,suchas@[email protected],youcansimplylookatthetaskslistedunderyourcurrentcontextandexecutethemoneafteranother.Allenusestheanalogyofcrankingwidgetstodescribethiscalmlymechanicalapproachtowork.It’sarigoroussystemforthegenerationofserenity.TosomeonewithMann’sengineeringsensibility,theprecisionofG.T.D.wasappealing,andthemethoditselfseemedripeforoptimization.InSeptember,2004,Mannstartedablogcalled43 Folders—areferencetoanorganizationalhack,the“ticklerfile,”describedinAllen’sbook.Inanintroductorypost,Mannwrote,“Believeme,ifyoukeepfindingthatthewaterofyourlifehassomehowrunontothefloor,GTDmaybejustthedrinkingglassyouneedtogetthingsbacktogether.”HepublishedninepostsaboutG.T.D.duringtheblog’sfirstmonth.Thediscussionwasoftenhighlytechnical:inonepost,heproposedthecreationofaunifiedXMLformatforG.T.D.data,whichwouldallowdifferentappstodisplaythesametasksinmultipleformats,including“graphicalmap,outline,RDF,structuredtext.”HetoldmethatthewriterCoryDoctorowlinkedtoanearly43 FolderspostonDoctorow’spopularnerd-culturesite,BoingBoing.Trafficsurged.Mannsoonannouncedthat,injustthirtydays,43 Foldershadreceivedoverahundredandfiftythousanduniquevisitors.(“That’sjustnuts,”hewrote.)ThesitebecamesopopularthatMannquithisjobtoworkonitfulltime.Ashisinfluencegrew,hepopularizedanewtermforthegenrethathewashelpingtocreate:“productivitypr0n,”anadaptationofthe“leetspeak,”orgeeklingo,wordforpornography.Thehungerforthispr0n,henoticed,wasinsatiable.Peopleweredesperatetotinkerwiththeirproductivitysystems.WhatMannandhisfellow-enthusiastsweredoingfeltperfectlynatural:theyweretryingtobemoreproductiveinaknowledge-workenvironmentthatseemedincreasinglyfreneticandhardertocontrol.Whattheydidn’trealizewasthattheywerereactingtoaprofoundshiftintheworkplacethathadgonelargelyunnoticed.Beforetherewas“personalproductivity,”therewasjustproductivity:ameasureofhowmuchaworkercouldproduceinafixedintervaloftime.Attheturnofthetwentiethcentury,FrederickTaylorandhisacolyteshadstudiedthephysicalmovementsoffactoryworkers,lookingforplacestosavetimeandreducecosts.Itwasn’timmediatelyobvioushowthisindustrialconceptofproductivitymightbeadaptedfromtheassemblylinetotheoffice.AmajorfigureinthistranslationwasPeterDrucker,theinfluentialbusinessscholarwhoiswidelyregardedasthecreatorofmodernmanagementtheory.DruckerwasborninAustriain1909.Hisparents,AdolphandCaroline,heldeveningsalonsthatwereattendedbyFriedrichHayekandJosephSchumpeter,amongothereconomicluminaries.TheintellectualenergyofthesesalonsseemedtoinspireDrucker’sownproductivity:hewrotethirty-ninebooks,thelastshortlybeforehisdeath,attheageofninety-five.Hiscareertookoffafterthepublicationofhissecondbook,“TheFutureofIndustrialMan,”in1942,whenhewasathirty-three-year-oldprofessoratBenningtonCollege.Thebookaskedhowan“industrialsociety”—oneunfoldingwithin“theentirelynewphysicalrealitywhichWesternmanhascreatedashishabitatsinceJamesWattinventedthesteamengine”—mightbestbestructuredtorespecthumanfreedomanddignity.Arrivinginthemidstofanindustrialworldwar,thebookfoundawideaudience.Afterreadingit,themanagementteamatGeneralMotorsinvitedDruckertospendtwoyearsstudyingtheoperationsofwhatwasthentheworld’slargestcorporation.The1946bookthatresultedfromthatengagement,“ConceptoftheCorporation,”wasoneofthefirsttolookseriouslyathowbigorganizationsactuallygotworkdone.Itlaidthefoundationfortreatingmanagementasasubjectthatcouldbestudiedanalytically.Inthenineteen-fifties,theAmericaneconomybegantomovefrommanuallabortowardcognitivework.Druckerhelpedbusinessleadersunderstandthistransformation.Inhis1959book,“LandmarksofTomorrow,”hecoinedtheterm“knowledgework,”andarguedthatautonomywouldbethecentralfeatureofthenewcorporateworld.Druckerpredictedthatcorporateprofitswoulddependonmentaleffort,andthateachindividualknowledgeworker,possessingskillstoospecializedtobebrokendowninto“repetitive,simple,mechanicalmotions”choreographedfromabove,wouldneedtodecidehowto“applyhisknowledgeasaprofessional”andmonitorhisownproductivity.“Theknowledgeworkercannotbesupervisedcloselyorindetail,”Druckerwrote,in“TheEffectiveExecutive,”from1967.“Hemustdirecthimself.”Drucker’semphasisontheautonomyofknowledgeworkersmadesense,astherewasnoobviouswaytodeconstructtheeffortsrequiredbynewlyimportantmid-centuryjobs—likecorporateresearchanddevelopmentoradvertisementcopywriting—intoassembly-line-stylesequencesofoptimizedsteps.ButDruckerwasalsoinfluencedbythepoliticsoftheColdWar.HeviewedcreativityandinnovationaskeytostayingaheadoftheSoviets.Citingtheinventionoftheatomicbomb,hearguedthatscientificworkofsuchcomplexityandambiguitycouldnothavebeenmanagedusingtheheavy-handedtechniquesoftheindustrialage,whichhelikenedtothecentralizedplanningoftheSovieteconomy.Futureindustries,hesuggested,wouldneedtooperatein“local”and“decentralized”ways.Tosupporthisemphasisonknowledge-workerautonomy,Druckerintroducedtheideaofmanagementbyobjectives,aprocessinwhichmanagersfocusonsettingoutcleartargets,butthedetailsofhowthey’reaccomplishedarelefttoindividuals.Thisideaisbothextremelyconsequentialandrarelydebated.It’swhythemodernofficeworkerisinundatedwithquantifiedquarterlygoalsandmotivatingmissionstatements,butreceivesalmostnoguidanceonhowtoactuallyorganizeandmanagetheseefforts.ItwasthuslargelyowingtoDruckerthat,in2004,whenMerlinMannfoundhimselfoverwhelmedbyhiswork,hetookitforgrantedthatthesolutiontohiswoeswouldbefoundintheoptimizationofhispersonalhabits.Asthepopularityof43Foldersgrew,sodidMann’sinfluenceintheonlineproductivityworld.Onebreakthroughfromthisperiodwasanovelorganizationaldevicethathecalled“thehipsterPDA.”Pre-smartphonehandhelddevices,suchasthePalmPilot,wereoftendescribedas“personaldigitalassistants”;thehipsterP.D.A.wasproudlyanalog.Theinstructionsformakingonewereaggressivelysimple:“1.Getabunchof3x5inchindexcards.2.Clipthemtogetherwithabinderclip.3.Thereisnostep3.”The“device,”Mannsuggested,wasidealforimplementingG.T.D.:thetopindexcardcouldserveasanin-box,wheretaskscouldbejotteddownforsubsequentprocessing,whilecoloredcardsinthestackcouldactasdividerstoorganizetasksbyprojectorcontext.A2005articleintheGlobeandMailnotedthatIanCapstick,apresssecretaryforCanada’sNewDemocraticParty,wieldedahipsterP.D.A.inplaceofaBlackBerry.JustasG.T.D.wasachievingwidespreadpopularity,however,Mann’szealforhisownpracticebegantofade.Aninflectionpointinhiswritingcamein2007,soonafterhegaveaG.T.D.-inspiredspeechaboute-mailmanagementtoanoverflowaudienceatGoogle’sMountainViewheadquarters.Buildingontheclassicproductivityideathatanofficeworkershouldn’ttouchthesamepieceofpapermorethanonce,Mannoutlinedanewmethodforrapidlyprocessinge-mails.Inthissystem,youwouldreadeache-mailonlyonce,thenselectfromalimitedsetofoptions—deleteit,respondtoit,deferit(bymovingitintoafolderofmessagesrequiringlongresponses),delegateit,or“do”it(byextractingandexecutingtheactivityatitscore,orcapturingitforlaterattentioninasystemlikeG.T.D.).Thegoalwastoapplytheserulesmechanicallyuntilyourdigitalmessagepilewasempty.ManncalledhisstrategyInboxZero.AfterGoogleuploadedavideoofhistalktoYouTube,thetermenteredthevernacular.Editorsbeganinquiringaboutbookdeals.Notlongafterward,Mannpostedaself-reflectiveessayon43Folders,inwhichherevealedagrowingdissatisfactionwiththeworldofpersonalproductivity.Productivitypr0n,hesuggested,wasbecomingabewildering,complexifyingendinitself—list-makingasa“cargocult,”system-tweakingasanaddiction.“Onmorethanafewdays,Iwonderedwhat,precisely,Iwastryingtoaccomplish,”hewrote.Partoftheproblemwastherecursivequalityofhiswork.Refininghisproductivitysystemsothathecouldblogmoreefficientlyaboutproductivitymadehimfeelasifhewerebeing“tossedaroundbyamenacingRubeGoldbergdevice”ofhisowndesign;attimes,hesaid,“IthoughtImightbelosingmymind.”Healsowonderedwhether,onasubstantivelevel,theapproachthathe’dbeenfollowingwasreallycapableofaddressinghisfrustrations.ItseemedtohimthatitwaspossibletoimplementmanyG.T.D.-inflectedlifehackswithoutfeeling“morecompetent,stable,andalive.”Hecleanedhouse,deletingposts.Anew“About”pageexplainedthat43Folderswasnolongeraproductivityblogbuta“websiteaboutfindingthetimeandattentiontodoyourbestcreativework.”Mann’spostingslowed.In2011,afteracoupleyearsofdesultorywriting,hepublishedavaledictoryessaytitled“Cranking”—aruminationonanillnessofhisfather’s,andadescriptionofhisownstruggletowriteabookaboutInboxZeroafterbecomingdisenchantedwithpersonalproductivityasaconcept.“I’dtypeandtype.I’dcrankandI’dcrank,”herecounted.“I’mdonecranking.And,I’mreadytomakeachange.”Afternotingthathiseditorwouldlikelycancelhisbookcontract,heconcludedwithabittersweetsign-off:“Thanksforlistening,nerds.”Therehavebeennopostsonthesiteforthepastnineyears.Evenafterthelossofoneofitsleaders,theproductivitypr0nmovementcontinuedtothrivebecausetheoverloadculturethathadinspireditcontinuedtoworsen.G.T.D.wasjoinedbynumerousotherattemptstotameexcessiveworkobligations,fromthebullet-journalmethod,totheexplosioninsmartphone-basedproductivityapps,tomyowncontributiontothemovement,acalltoemphasize“deep”workover“shallow.”Butnoneoftheseresponsessolvedtheunderlyingproblem.Theknowledgesector’sinsistencethatproductivityisapersonalissueseemstohavecreatedaso-called“tragedyofthecommons”scenario,inwhichindividualsmakingreasonabledecisionsforthemselvesinsureanegativegroupoutcome.Anofficeworker’slifeisdramaticallyeasier,inthemoment,ifshecansendmessagesthatdemandimmediateresponsesfromhercolleagues,ordisseminaterequestsandtaskstoothersinanad-hocmanner.Butthecumulativeeffectofsuchconstant,unstructuredcommunicationiscognitivelyharmful:onthereceivingend,thedelugeofinformationanddemandsmakesworkunmanageable.There’slittlethatanyoneindividualcandotofixtheproblem.Aworkermightsendfewere-mailrequeststoothers,andbecomemorestructuredaboutherwork,butshe’llstillreceiverequestsfromeveryoneelse;meanwhile,ifshedecidestodecreasetheamountoftimethatshespendsengagingwiththisharrieddigitaldin,sheslowsdownotherpeople’swork,creatingfrustration.Inthiscontext,theshortcomingsofpersonal-productivitysystemslikeG.T.D.becomeclear.Theydon’tdirectlyaddressthefundamentalproblem:theinsidiouslyhaphazardwaythatworkunfoldsattheorganizationallevel.Theyonlyhelpindividualscopewithitseffects.AhighlyoptimizedimplementationofG.T.D.mighthavehelpedMannorganizethehundredsoftasksthatarrivedhaphazardlyinhisin-boxdaily,butitcoulddonothingtoreducethequantityoftheserequests.Therearewaystofixthedestructiveeffectsofoverloadculture,butsuchsolutionswouldhavetobeginwithareëvaluationofPeterDrucker’sinsistenceonknowledge-workerautonomy.Productivity,wemustrecognize,canneverbeentirelypersonal.Itmustbeconnectedtoasystemthatwecanstudy,analyze,andimprove.Oneofthefewacademicswhohasseriouslyexploredknowledge-workproductivityinrecentyearsisTomDavenport,aprofessorofinformationtechnologyandmanagementatBabsonCollege.Manyorganizationsclaimtobeinterestedinproductivity,hetoldme,buttheyalmostalwayspursueitbyintroducingnewtechnologytools—spreadsheets,networkapplications,Web-basedcollaborationsoftware—inpiecemealfashion.Thegeneralbeliefisthatknowledgeworkerswillneverstandforintrusionsintotheautonomythey’vecometoexpect.Theideaoflarge-scaleinterventionsthatmightreplacethemessofunstructuredmessagingwithamorestructuredsetofproceduresisrarelyconsidered.AlthoughDavenport’s2005book,“ThinkingforaLiving,”attemptedtoofferconcreteadviceabouthowknowledge-workerproductivitymightbeimproved,inmanyplaceshisadviceisconstrainedbytheassumedinviolabilityofautonomy.Inonechapter,forexample,heexploresthepossibilityofroutinizingorconstrainingthetasksof“transaction”workers,whoperformsimilardutiesoverandover,byusingadiagramtocommunicateanoptimalsequenceofactions.Headds,however,thatsuchroutinizationsimplywon’tappealto“expert”workers,whohesaysareunlikelytopayattentiontoelaborateflowchartssuggestingwhentheyshouldcollaborateandwhentheyshouldleaveeachotheralone.Intheend,“ThinkingforaLiving”failedtofindanaudience.“Itwasoneofmyworst-sellingbooks,”Davenportsaid.Hesoonshiftedhisattentiontomorepopulartopics,suchasbigdataandartificialintelligence.Andyet,evenifweacceptthatpeopledon’twanttobemicromanaged,itdoesn’tfollowthateverysingleaspectofknowledgeworkmustbelefttotheindividual.IfI’macomputerprogrammer,Imightnotwantmyprojectmanagertellingmehowtosolveacodingproblem,butIwouldwelcomeclear-cutrulesthatlimittheabilityofotherdivisionstoropemeintoendlessmeetingsordemandresponsestonever-endingurgentmessages.Thebenefitsoftop-downinterventionsdesignedtoprotectbothattentionandautonomycouldbesignificant.Inanarticlepublishedin1999,Druckernotedthat,inthecourseofthetwentiethcentury,theproductivityoftheaveragemanuallaborerhadincreasedbyafactoroffifty—theresult,inlargepart,ofanobsessivefocusonhowtoconductthisworkmoreeffectively.Bysomeestimates,knowledgeworkersinNorthAmericaoutnumbermanualworkersbyclosetofourtoone—andyet,asDruckerwrote,“Workontheproductivityoftheknowledgeworkerhasbarelybegun.”Fittingly,wecanderiveaclearvisionofamoreproductivefuturebyreturningtoMerlinMann.Inthefinalyearsof43Folders,Mannbegandabblinginpodcasting.AftershutteringhisWebsite,heturnedhisattentionmorefullytowardthisemergingmedium.Mannnowhostsfourregularpodcasts.Oneshow,“RoderickontheLine,”consistsof“unfiltered”conversationswithMann’sfriendJohnRoderick,theleadsingerofthebandtheLongWinters.Anothershow,“BacktoWork,”tacklesproductivity,mixingsomeearly43Folders-styleexplorationofdigitaltoolswithlate43Folders-styledigressionsonthepurposeofproductivity.Arecentepisodeof“BacktoWork”combinedatechnicalconversationaboutTaskPaper—aplain-textto-do-listsoftwareforMacs—withametaphysicaldiscussionaboutdisruptions.MannnolongerusesthefullG.T.D.system.HeremainsafanofDavidAllen(“there’sapersonforwhomG.T.D.isaperfectfit,”hetoldme),butthenatureofhiscurrentworkdoesn’tgeneratetheoverwhelmingloadofobligationsthatfirstdrovehimtothesystem,backin2004.“Myneedsareverymodestfromatask-managementperspective,”hesaid.“Ihaveaproductionscheduleforthepodcasts;it’sthatandgrocerylists.”HedoesstillusesomebigideasfromG.T.D.,suchasdeployingcalendarnotificationstoremindhimtowaterhisplantsandcleanhiscat’slitterbox.(“WhywouldIletthattakeupanypartofmybrain?”)However,hisdayisnowstructuredinsuchawaythathecanspendmostofhistimefocussedontheautonomous,creative,skilledworkthatDruckeridentifiedassocrucialtogrowingoureconomy.Mostofusarenotourownbosses,andthereforelacktheabilitytodrasticallyoverhaulthestructureofourworkobligations,butinMann’scurrentsetupthere’saglimpseofwhatmighthelp.Imagineif,throughsomecombinationofnewmanagementthinkingandtechnology,wecouldintroduceprocessesthatminimizethetimerequiredtotalkaboutworkorfightoffrandomtasksflungourwaybyequallyharriedco-workers,andinsteadletusorganizeourdaysaroundasmallnumberofdiscreteobjectives.Away,thatis,topreserveDrucker’sessentialautonomywhilesidesteppingtheuncontrollableoverloadthatthisautonomycanaccidentallytrigger.Thisvisionisappealing,butitcannotberealizedbyindividualactionsalone.Itwillrequiremanagementintervention.Upuntilnow,therehasbeenlittlewilltoinstigatethisshiftinresponsibilityforproductivityfromthepersontotheorganization.AsDavenportdiscovered,mostknowledge-workcompanieshavebeenmorefocussedonkeepingupwithtechnologicalbreakthroughsthatmightopenupnewmarkets.Togetmoredone,it’sbeensufficienttosimplyexhortemployeestoworkharder.Laptopsandsmartphoneshelpedtheseeffortsbyenablingofficeworkerstofindextrahoursinthedaytogetthingsdone,providingaproductivitycounterbalancetotheinefficienciesofoverloadculture.AndthenCOVID-19arrived.Inaremarkablyshortspan,thespreadofthecoronavirusshutdownofficesaroundtheworld.Thisunexpectedchangeamplifiedtheinefficiencieslatentinourhaphazardapproachtowork.Manyindividualsrespondedbyimmersingthemselvesina43Folders-styleworldofproductivityhacks.Asweattempttojugglepercolatingcrises,endlessZoomcalls,and,formany,therequirementtosomehowintegratebothchildcareandhomeschoolingintothesamehours,there’sasudden,urgentneedtocarefullyorganizetasksandintricatelysynchronizeschedules.Butit’sbecomingclearthat,asMannlearned,individualeffortsarenotenough.Althoughofficesarenowpartiallyreopening,asignificantamountofworkwill,fortheforeseeablefuture,continuetobeperformedremotely.Tosurvivethecurrentcrisis,knowledge-workcompaniesmayfinallybeforcedtomovepastDrucker’sinsistentautonomyandbeginaskinghardquestionsabouthowtheirworkisactuallyaccomplished.Itseemslikelythatanysuccessfulefforttoreformprofessionallifemuststartbymakingiteasiertofigureoutwhoisworkingonwhat,andhowit’sgoing.Becausesomuchofoureffortintheofficenowunfoldsinrapidexchangesofdigitalmessages,it’sconvenienttoallowourin-boxestobecomeaninformalrepositoryforeverythingweneedtogetdone.Thisstrategy,however,obscuresmanyoftheworstaspectsofoverloadculture.WhenIdon’tknowhowmuchiscurrentlyonyourplate,it’seasyformetoaddonemorething.WhenIcannotseewhatmyteamisupto,Icanallowaccidentalinequitiestoarise,inwhichthewillingendupoverloadedandtheunwillingremainhappilyunbothered.(Forinstance,infieldtestsledbyLindaBabcock,ofCarnegieMellonUniversity,womenwerefoundtotakeonadisproportionateloadof“non-promotable”servicetasks,suchasorganizingofficeparties,andtobemorelikelythanmentosayyeswhenaskedtodoso,leadingtotheirbeingaskedmoreoften.)Considerinsteadasystemthatexternalizeswork.Followingtheleadofsoftwaredevelopers,wemightusevirtualtaskboards,whereeverytaskisrepresentedbyacardthatspecifieswhoisdoingthework,andispinnedunderacolumnindicatingitsstatus.Withaquickglance,youcannowascertaineverythinggoingonwithinyourteamandaskmeaningfulquestionsabouthowmuchworkanyonepersonshouldtackleatatime.Withthissetup,optimizationbecomespossible.Insoftwaredevelopment,forexample,it’swidelyacceptedthatprogrammersaremosteffectivewhentheyworkononefeatureatatime,focussinginadistraction-freesprintuntildone.It’sconceivablethatotherknowledgefieldsmightenjoysimilarproductivityboostsfrommoreintentionalassignmentsofeffort.Whatifyoubeganeachmorningwithastatusmeetinginwhichyourteamconfrontsitstaskboard?Aplancouldthenbemadeaboutwhichhandfulofthingseachpersonwouldtacklethatday.Insteadofindividualsfeelingbesiegedandresentful—abouttheadditionaltasksthatsimilarlyoverwhelmedcolleaguesareflingingtheirway—theycouldexecuteacollaborativeplandesignedtobenefiteveryone.Theabilitytobettervisualizeworkwouldalsoenablesmarterprocesses.Ifyounoticethattheinfluxofadministrativedemandsfromotherpartsofyourcompanyisoverwhelmingyouandyourco-workers,you’renowmotivatedtoseekfixes.Suchoptimizationsareunlikelytooccurwhenthescopeoftheproblemishiddenamongin-boxdetritus,andwhenproductivityisstillunderstoodasamatterofpersonalwill.Whetherornotcoronavirus-drivendisruptionprovidesthefinalpushweneedtomoveawayfromourflawedcommitmenttopersonalproductivity,wecanbecertainthatthistransitionwilleventuallyhappen.Evenifweconvinceourselvesthatthepsychologicaltollofoverloadcultureisacceptablecollateraldamageforafast-pacedmodernworld,there’stoomuchlatenteconomicvalueatstaketokeepignoringthehaphazardnatureofhowwecurrentlywork.It’sironicthatDrucker,theverypersonwhoextolledthepotentialofknowledge-workerproductivity,helpedplanttheideasthathavesincehelditback.Tomoveforward,wemuststepawayfromDrucker’scommitmenttototalautonomy—allowingforfreedominhowweexecutetaskswithoutalsoallowingforchaosinhowthesetasksareassigned.Wemust,inotherwords,acknowledgethefutilityoftryingtotameourfrenziedworklivesallonourown,andinsteadask,collectively,whetherthere’sabetterwaytogetthingsdone.CalNewportisacontributingwriterforTheNewYorkerandanassociateprofessorofcomputerscienceatGeorgetownUniversity.More:ProductivityCoronavirusOfficeWorkersTechnologyE-MailTheNewYorkerRecommendsWhatourstaffisreading,watching,andlisteningtoeachweek.Enteryoure-mailaddressSignupBysigningup,youagreetoourUserAgreementandPrivacyPolicy&CookieStatement.CulturalCommentTheServiceThatMakesShameaProductivityHackPartsocialnetworkandpartvirtualco-workingspace,Focusmatesuggeststhataccountabilityisthemostpowerfulmotivatortogetworkdone.ByCarrieBattanOfficeSpaceWasE-mailaMistake?Digitalmessagingwassupposedtomakeourworkliveseasierandmoreefficient,butthemathsuggeststhatmeetingsmightbebetter.ByCalNewportVideoLisaBrennan-JobsontheShadowofSteveJobsDavidRemnickspeakswithLisaBrennan-Jobsaboutherdébutmemoir,“SmallFry,”andwhatit’slikebeingthedaughterofSteveJobs.