Is it "productive" to read your emails? Or attend meetings? Not according to the expert.
Daniel Pink, best-selling author and one of today’s most trusted voices on motivation and performance, has spent years writing about productivity and he says you need to rethink the very definition of the word:
"Productivity is about getting meaningful work done — period."
He's got 5 powerful moves that will help you reclaim your focus. Here's one:
✅ Each day, identify one "MIT" — Most Important Task — and only focus on getting that done. The emails, the meetings, the endless to-do lists ... they could be stopping you from meeting your biggest goals.
Dan says, "It's a cliché, but you can be busy but not productive."
For even more actionable advice on how to focus on the work that really matters, LinkedIn Premium subscribers can watch the full interview with Daniel Pink here: https://bit.ly/4aDdRXK
For more exclusive conversations with experts, visit linkedin.com/events
Productivity is about getting meaningful work done. Period. The human mind, the human brain is not going to naturally end U in deep focus. What you have to do is really architect your environment so you can do the meaningful things. We have this kind of almost reverential kind of quasi biblical approach to our To Do List. And that way we look at it all the time, we bow to it, we write on it and do things. Everybody has A to do list. I keep it to don't list and I, and I think this is one that is actually close to universally practical. And so to don't list is you think about the things that waste your time, drain your energy, suck the very life out of you. Get those things down, then you don't do them, obviously, but you treat that to don't list with the same sanctity with which you treat your To Do List. I don't know about the rest of you, but my head is just ticking through my own to don't list that. I am surfacing right now, so it's gonna embarrass me a little bit. OK, Instagram. I have done the things. I have turned my phone to grayscale. I have made promises to myself to put my phone in other rooms. And somehow you said you set a timeline. I've set a time limit, so I would. I'll push you even further, man. OK, Delete the app for a week and see how it goes. Yeah, that, that is the better approach, right? Just try it. Sometimes it's like crossing the bridge. That is hard. Almost every day when I have my To Do List, I will put at the top MIT colon most important task. I will do that first. Sometimes I will only write that on my To Do List one thing, and then we'll fill in the rest of the To Do List once I accomplish that. We have a tendency in our bodies and minds that when we're faced with a big thing and some little things, we'll do the little things first and kind of eat our way up to the big thing, but we never actually reach there. We're wired not to want to confront these big daunting tasks. And so the question is, do we change? Yourself or do we change our environment and and it's much easier to change our environment that is to change ourselves. This question comes from Richard in Utah. What's your advice for workers He's most important projects keep getting deprioritized by leadership adding new fires. Richard number 1, I feel your pain. What I learned to do was both conceptual and practical. The conceptual thing was is actually don't assume that your boss is trying to torture you by doing this. I think a lot of times when things go poorly, we as human beings, we personalize it too much. And my boss doesn't like me and that's why she's doing this thing. My boss is incompetent. That's why she's doing these things. One could very well have a boss who's incompetent and doesn't like you, but in many cases, the bosses as beleaguered as you are. So have a little empathy for your boss. The second thing, which I, which I did many times with this, listen, you want me to do this thing? Let me show you what I have on my list right now of things to do. And add this, but please tell me which of this current list do you want me to deprioritize? That usually stops them and and and it forces and forces them to think because a lot of times those seven things like, oh God, you're still doing that. I don't even realize you were still doing that. Get rid of that and do something. Everyone is different, both personality psychologically and everyone's work is different. You want to impose some structure, not too much structure, but it's sort of a Goldilocks level of structure. And for me, that Goldilocks level of structure is because I'm a writer is is in a word count. What other people might do is, is to say I'm going to block out a certain amount of time. The clock can give us a form of structure that ultimately ends up being liberating. What you do is you set the kitchen timer and you then just work during that 25 minute segment and don't do anything else. That's going to be undistracted time and whatever I get done during that time is a win. The single biggest day-to-day motivator on the job is making progress in meaningful work. I love naming wins. Do you? Well, here's the thing. We have a lot of evidence about this. The thing is, we often don't see the progress that we make. And so I think actually recording the progress that you make, taking out progress ritual at the end of the day, and writing down three ways you made progress that day is another way to see the progress that you're making, to see those wins. Aida from the UK asks Dan, in your productivity toolkit, what's the biggest trap that keeps people busy but doesn't move things forward for them? The feeling that we get of accomplishment for knocking off things that don't matter. We want to do things that feel like we're making some progress. And so you clear out like 11 emails. That feels pretty good. I had five minutes today. What a great day. Yeah. All right. What did you actually, would you actually accomplish? So I think that's the trap. I mean, it's cliche, but you can be busy but not productive.
Absolutely agree you can be "busy" but not productive and be left with that empty feeling at the end of your work day of having accomplished nothing of importance or impact.
This really resonates, especially the point about connection. Sometimes it’s not the big decisions, but the small moments of hesitation that turn into regret over time. Reaching out, trying something new, or simply being honest with yourself can feel uncomfortable in the moment, but inaction carries its own weight.
I’m learning that growth often begins when you stop waiting to feel ready and start acting despite uncertainty. Those small steps quietly shape who you become.
The “to don’t” list really stood out to me.
What’s been helpful in my own life is identifying the three priorities that actually move the needle in this season, getting clear on why they matter, and time blocking around them. It’s helped shift my focus from being busy to being aligned.
The hard part isn’t identifying the most important task.
It’s having the discipline to ignore the noise around it.
Most organizations reward responsiveness, not impact.
Daniel Pink, best-selling author and one of today’s most trusted voices on motivation and performance, has spent years writing about productivity and he says you need to rethink the very definition of the word:
"Productivity is about getting meaningful work done — period."
Is it "productive" to read your emails? Or attend meetings? Not according to the expert.
Daniel Pink, best-selling author and one of today’s most trusted voices on motivation and performance, has spent years writing about productivity and he says you need to rethink the very definition of the word:
"Productivity is about getting meaningful work done — period."
He's got 5 powerful moves that will help you reclaim your focus. Here's one:
✅ Each day, identify one "MIT" — Most Important Task — and only focus on getting that done. The emails, the meetings, the endless to-do lists ... they could be stopping you from meeting your biggest goals.
Dan says, "It's a cliché, but you can be busy but not productive."
For even more actionable advice on how to focus on the work that really matters, LinkedIn Premium subscribers can watch the full interview with Daniel Pink here: https://bit.ly/4aDdRXK
For more exclusive conversations with experts, visit linkedin.com/events
Red flags in offline meetings
(I hope you still have this nice habit of meeting real people offline)
Last year I had 100+ offline meetings with new people.
I can do networking. I just don’t enjoy it. I don't like "meeting for the sake of meeting", that's not my job. Time is the most expensive resource, and I prefer to invest it responsibly at work.
Here are my red flags:
• No agenda
"Let's grab a coffee and chat” in a work context = waste of time.
• Self-pitch in the first 60 seconds
If someone starts selling themselves immediately = run away (unless you came to buy - for example, for an interview).
• Recommendations on how to live my life
If a person starts telling you how to live, build, or scale in the first meeting = you’re likely sitting in front of an influencer or a "coach".
• No preparation
If you don’t know who I am, what my company does, or why we’re meeting = waste of time.
I love deep, long conversations with my friends.
But your time in work environment is your most precious investment. Deal with it carefully.
Any additions?
Communication: I have been bitten by this more times than I care to admit.
I used to make a fatal mistake as a leader. I would send an email, or announce a change in a meeting, and think: "Done. Everyone knows. We are aligned."
Then I’d find out half the team had no idea what I was talking about or had done something completely different.
It’s kind of crazy how hard it is to communicate in a large organization, the level of noise is incredible and the methods are imperfect.
- Email: most people just scan it, if they open it at all.
- Meetings: everyone is multi-tasking.
- Chat: a stream of consciousness that scrolls off the screen in minutes.
You cannot assume anyone has heard the message - whether it’s a strategic shift, a priority change, or a tactical update.
Everyone tells you about the “Rule of 7” - people need to hear something seven times before it actually registers. I still had to learn that the hard way. And I would add to that rule, you have to say it seven times in seven different forums before it even has a chance of sticking.
Now, my strategy is aggressive redundancy. If it matters, I say it in the meeting. I document it in our shared space, put it in an email and post it in the chat. Then I bring it up again at the start of the next meeting.
And if it’s complex? I don’t just broadcast it. I check for understanding. I ask people to restate the plan back to me to ensure we aren't just using the same words to mean different things.
It can feel like overkill. But it's worth it, because nothing kills progress like lack of clarity in a large organization.
What are your go-to-strategies to making sure a message actually sticks?
Stop performing. Start connecting. 🤝
I just finished studying "Confident Conversations" by Mike Bechtle, and it completely flipped my perspective on how we communicate.
Many of us treat networking or high-stakes meetings like a stage performance where we have to be "on." But Bechtle argues that real confidence comes when you shift the spotlight away from yourself.
Here are my top 3 takeaways to level up your communication:
The Spotlight Shift: Stop worrying about "What do I say next?" and focus on "How can I make the other person comfortable?" When you shine the light on others, your own anxiety disappears.
Interested > Interesting: You don't need a library of witty stories. Genuine curiosity is a superpower. People won't remember your jokes as much as they'll remember how well you listened.
The Power of "How" & "Why": Swap "dead-end" questions for open-ended ones. Instead of "Did you have a good trip?", try "What was the highlight of your trip?"
Conversation isn’t a contest to see who is the smartest person in the room—it’s a tool to build a bridge. 🌉
1️⃣ The 5 W’s and an H: Use Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How to keep the flow going.
👇
#CommunicationSkills#Networking#PersonalGrowth#ConfidentConversations#Leadership
This could have been an email.
I am sure you too have had this feeling after walking out of a meeting.
One critical problem with many folks in corporate is that they don't understand which means of communication to be used and when.
I have seen so many orgs start their day with a daily huddle with nothing concrete to discuss.
Just people on a call, going through the motions, wasting 30 minutes that could have been spent actually doing work.
Here's what I've learned:
→ I now do not join any meeting unless there's a clear agenda attached with the invite.
→And if the matter seriously needs a conversation, I join. Otherwise, I ask the person to share an email.
Because meetings aren't inherently valuable. Outcomes are.
And most meetings don't produce outcomes. They produce more meetings.
Here's a simple rule I follow:
→ If it's a status update, send an email.
→ If it's a decision that needs discussion, book a meeting.
→ If it's feedback or clarification, send a message or hop on a quick call.
Meetings should be the exception, not the rule.
Because every meeting you take is time you're not spending building, creating, or thinking deeply.
And in most roles, deep work is what actually moves the needle.
So the next time you're about to schedule a meeting, ask yourself:
Could this be an email? Could this be a voice note? Could this be a quick Slack message?
If the answer is yes, don't book the meeting.
Your time is too valuable to spend it in unnecessary calls.
#Meetings#Productivity#WorkCulture#CorporateLife#TimeManagement#Efficiency#DeepWork
Many professionals underestimate the power of small talk.
But before a meeting begins…
Before the presentation starts…
Before the networking session gets serious…
Small talk is what shapes the first impression.
A confident introduction and one thoughtful question can:
• Establish rapport
• Build trust
• Demonstrate communication skills
• Open unexpected opportunities
Small talk is not “filler conversation.”
It is a strategic communication skill.
Mastering how to start a conversation is often what separates average communicators from memorable professionals.
What’s your go-to opening line at networking events?
#LeadershipCommunication#ProfessionalSkills#BusinessCommunication#Networking#CareerGrowth#ExecutivePresence#EnglishMastery#WorkplaceSuccess
Many professionals underestimate the power of small talk.
But before a meeting begins…
Before the presentation starts…
Before the networking session gets serious…
Small talk is what shapes the first impression.
A confident introduction and one thoughtful question can:
• Establish rapport
• Build trust
• Demonstrate communication skills
• Open unexpected opportunities
Small talk is not “filler conversation.”
It is a strategic communication skill.
Mastering how to start a conversation is often what separates average communicators from memorable professionals.
What’s your go-to opening line at networking events?
#LeadershipCommunication#ProfessionalSkills#BusinessCommunication#Networking#CareerGrowth#ExecutivePresence#EnglishMastery#WorkplaceSuccess
"How are you?" "Busy. You?" "Yeah, same."
It's so easy to talk about our never-ending To-Do list.
But we rarely consider the one that might matter more...
Your Not-to-do list.
A To-Do list tells you where to go. And equally useful, a Not-To-Do list tells you where not to go. Otherwise, you might spend half your energy going in the wrong direction first ⬅️
Here's the truth most busy professionals won't admit:
You already know what's wasting your time. The meetings that could've been emails. The tasks you do out of habit, not impact. The requests you say yes to because it feels easier than saying no.
The Not-To-Do list challenges these tasks.
Some things worth considering for yours:
- Checking email first thing in the morning,
- Saying yes to meetings with no clear agenda,
- Doing work someone else should be doing,
- Revisiting decisions that are already made,
- Busy work that feels productive but isn't.
The most effective leaders I've observed aren't just disciplined about what they do.
They're ruthless about what they don't.
Protect your focus like it's your most valuable asset.
Because it is🎯
QUICK TIPS THURSDAY BUSINESS TIP!! 💡
Here’s a simple habit that turns every meeting - online or in‑person - into a genuine relationship‑building moment.
Close the loop after every meeting:
⭐ Send a quick 30‑second follow‑up message right after the call
⭐ Mention one specific thing you appreciated or found valuable
⭐ Share a small value‑add - a link, idea, resource, or introduction
⭐ Confirm a simple next step to keep the momentum going
⭐ Stay gently present afterward with comments, reactions, and check‑ins
These tiny touchpoints make you memorable, build trust, and turn one‑off conversations into long‑term relationships.
In a world full of rushed meetings and forgotten follow‑ups, the person who closes the loop stands out.
👇 Question:
Which part of follow‑up do you think most people skip - the message, the value‑add, or the next step?
#ThursdayQuickTips#BusinessRelationships#NetworkingStrategy#FollowUpMatters#BusinessGrowth
#askingquestions#avoidusingdoubt#questionsduringmeeting#samequestiondifferentstyle
Don't say,"I have a doubt" in meetings
We often come across phrases that may not be suitable in certain situations, especially in professional meetings.
Many people use the phrase “I have a doubt” at workplaces, but in formal English, it may not sound very professional.
Instead, we can express the same idea in a more polished way.
Here are a few better alternatives which sound simple, clear, and professional.
For example, “I have a question.”. Alternatively you can say, “Could you please clarify this?”
There are few more professional ways to ask questions in offical discussions and meetings rather than just saying,"I have a doubt".
Using these phrases will make your communication sound more confident, professional, and effective in meetings and workplace discussions.
These things may sound very small but sometimes these minute things make a big difference on the listener.
If you are looking for more professional ways to speak up and clear your doubts in official set up, you can always send me a message, and I would like to connect and share few more ways.
Absolutely agree you can be "busy" but not productive and be left with that empty feeling at the end of your work day of having accomplished nothing of importance or impact.