The previous article in this series tried to introduce the concept of productivity and the variables that should be known and understood.

In this article, we shall define productivity, extract the equation and attempt to find ways to increase productivity.

Definitions of Productivity

Depending on the objective, productivity can have two perspectives. The first perspective sees productivity as accomplishing better output with less amount of time. It can also mean reaching the same result with less amount of time. The main objective here is maximising time without decreasing output.

The second definition of productivity has to do with investing less amount of effort to realise better results, where effort is the amount of physical force or energy expended to accomplish a task. As in the first definition, we can also have a definition of using less effort for the same results. The main objective here is maximising effort without lowering results.

Productivity Equation

Bringing both objectives together, we can say that productivity is directly proportional to the quantity and quality of output and inversely proportional to the time taken and effort applied. 

Simply put, productivity is Output divided by Time and Effort.

So, if the denominators (time and effort) increase and the numerator (output) remains constant, productivity will drop. However, if the output increases or remains the same and time and effort decrease, productivity will increase.

From these, we see the three variables of productivity – output, time, and effort. For simplicity in this series, I’ll focus more on the first definition while sprinkling the second here and there.

How to increase productivity

So, to increase productivity, the objectives will be either or all of the following:

Keep the quantity and quality of the output the same and reduce the time and effort required to achieve such output. This is the basic, especially for those who are comfortable with their output but unhappy about the time consumption or the physical effort such output demands. Many people are happy with what they’re able to accomplish daily, but when they’re done with that, they don’t have much time for themselves or their families. This, in the long run, can lead to burnout. The objective here is to keep the output stable because, if that drops, dissatisfaction can set in, causing more problems. All these while freeing up some time for other activities.

Increase output while keeping the time and effort constant. These people are not interested in reducing the number of hours and effort employed in achieving their goals. Their only aim is to increase the amount of output they throw out at the end of the day, week, month, or year. So, they want to efficiently use their time and maximise effort to satisfy the demand for more output. An instance is an entrepreneur who has received orders from clients. Let’s assume that in a day, he delivers 100 packages, although he receives 150 orders that he must fulfil. His goal is not to reduce the number of hours he works or the human effort he puts in but rather to be able to package and deliver the 150 goods in one day, keeping the other two variables (time and effort) constant. To do this, he needs to produce more within the given time.

Increase the quality and quantity of the output while reducing the time and effort required. In this case, all the variables will be altered to increase productivity. The objective is to satisfy the increasing demand from your clients in less time than previously used, even during lower outputs. Let’s go back to the previous example of an entrepreneur who needs to deliver 150 products in a day. If he decides to fulfil these orders in half a day, then he is increasing productivity. To do these, he needs tools that can maximise time and effort and increase his results.

Depending on which of these objectives you want to pursue, we shall see how to do that in the next articles on this series.

Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow with a fresh article. Make sure to share. God bless you.