The Fundamentals of Productivity

Name: The Fundamentals of Productivity
Author: Katie Gatto

Do the most for your job by making the most of your time

Preview the first lesson free — get full access to all 6 lessons.

Course: On-Demand

There are two fundamentals of productivity: willpower and motivation. Willpower is something that is cultivated over a period of years. According to Psychology Today, there's growing evidence that indicates willpower and self control are essential for a happy and successful life. Willpower is the ability to create and stick with a plan of action. Motivation is an internal process that makes you move toward a goal. It's the reason behind what you do. Think of willpower as the how and motivation as the why. Now let's take a closer look at motivation. There are two types of motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is an internal drive to do something for yourself. Extrinsic motivation is when you're compelled to complete a task because there is either a reward or a risk involved. For instance, if you complete the task, you may get a bonus. Or if you fail to complete the task, your company's product may be unsafe. Often people will confuse motivated employees with happy employees. However, an employee can be unhappy and still feel motivated to complete tasks. When we are given work to do we want it to have meaning and purpose. We want to be rewarded for it and be treated fairly well doing it. But is that all there is to motivation? No. There are four important dimensions to motivation. Competence, control, interest and relatedness. You might be wondering: what do these have to do with motivation? Well. let me explain. Competence is basically your confidence in your abilities to complete the tasks you are given. Henry Ford said, "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right." Meaning what you can or can't do is all in your mindset. Control refers to the link we can see between our actions and the outcome, and whether we have some ability to make choices and decisions about the tasks. In this case, interest means that to feel motivated, we need to have at least some interest in the task and can see the value in its completion. And finally, relatedness gives us social rewards and a sense of belonging which are important motivators. Now that you understand the two main ingredients of productivity, let's talk about how you can use willpower and motivation to achieve.

Beginner Provider : Katie Gatto 6 Lessons · 12m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese

Course Description

Don’t we all wish there were more hours in the day? It’s not possible to add hours to your day, but it is possible to make the hours that you have more productive. In this course on “The Fundamentals of Productivity,”you’ll acquire skills you can incorporate into your day to increase the amount of work you get done. You’ll understand the difference between willpower and motivation, how to set goals and create to-do lists that really work. You’ll discover tactics for prioritization and how to avoid the common pitfalls. Finally, you’ll learn how to manage your workflow and create routines.

What You'll Learn

Distinguish willpower from motivation and apply each effectively
Set and reach goals using effective goal-setting behaviors
Create daily to-do lists that actually work
Prioritize tasks and avoid common prioritization pitfalls
Master your workflow to get more done
Build structured routines and recognize their benefits

Key Takeaways

You cannot add hours to your day, but you can make the hours you have more productive.
There is a difference between willpower and motivation that affects how you get work done.
Effective goal setting and well-built to-do lists help you accomplish more.
Understanding how prioritization works helps you avoid common pitfalls.
Mastering your workflow and creating structured routines supports sustained productivity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What will I learn in The Fundamentals of Productivity?

You will learn to distinguish willpower from motivation, set and reach goals, build effective to-do lists, prioritize while avoiding pitfalls, master your workflow, and create structured routines.

What topics do the lessons cover?

The lessons cover Willpower and Motivation, Goal Setting Behaviors, To-Do Lists that Work, Prioritization Fails and How to Avoid them, Mastering Your Workflow, and The Benefits of a Routine.

What skills will this course help me develop?

The course supports skills including time management, productivity management, productivity improvement, the ability to meet deadlines, and use of productivity software.

Who is this course for?

It is for anyone who wants to make the hours in their day more productive and increase the amount of work they get done by applying practical productivity skills.