Productivity Techniques

Chapter 1

The first productivity technique I want to introduce is development sprints.

This concept borrows from the world of software development using Scrum, where “sprints” refer to short, focused periods of work aimed at achieving specific outcomes. Think of sprinting in the literal sense: running quickly but purposefully towards an objective. It’s not a marathon where you get exhausted or burnt out. You leverage your current skills and resources to create something tangible within a limited timeframe.

Think of the word agile for a minute in the context of achieving your goals. It means you’re quick, innovative, and responsive to change. You can’t afford to get stuck by circumstances or factors like lack of funding, motivation, creativity, or indecision. Sprints allow you to move forward when you’re uncertain—an essential skill of productivity. Intelligent people have said before to expect the unexpected.

To become exceptionally productive, we have to be experts in change. Using development sprints gives us flexibility to change our plans and priorities, not on a whim, but because of the real-time feedback we get from conducting experiments. These insights will be our baseline for timely decisions, not fleeting emotions.

What Are Development Sprints?

Development sprints are a technique to break down more extensive, long-term goals into manageable, bite-sized projects. This method lets you stay laser-focused on what you need to do, using the skills, tools, and resources you have available. You’ll use them to focus on tasks and activities that produce a clear output. They last two to four weeks.

Because the time is short, they force you to think differently than you would if you were planning a project that would last months or years. The short time frame creates positive urgency, allowing you to focus on the variables that matter most and exclude the rest.

The Purpose of Sprints

A key advantage of development sprints is the clear output at the end of every two weeks. The goal is to produce a workable product or tangible result. It can be various things like creating an email campaign, designing wireframes for an app, or completing an online course.

When you work toward a clear output, you move rapidly, adapt to change, and get the satisfaction of completing distinct projects. It’s these micro-wins that create a cycle of achievement and keep you motivated. Forward progression, that sensation of getting closer to reaching your goal—however big or small—is the force that compels us to keep moving, try new things, and stay resilient to challenges. Like a sail in the wind, development sprints give us momentum that propels us forward.