The Search for Shortcuts is the Longest Road

No matter how diligent we are, we all crave the quick fix when we're in survival mode. We want to solve problems fast—lord knows there are so many. We want freedom from the pain of unresolved tasks, projects, and performance issues. And sometimes we think taking a shortcut is the way to peace of mind.

But as my dear friend, Mo Dhaliwal, said to me recently: "The search for shortcuts is the longest road."

Productivity hacks are a perfect example. Without the right mindset and behaviors, productivity hacks tend to be useless.

I see it all the time—people start adding things onto the Groundwork System. They start adding a new list somewhere because maybe that will be easier than trying to follow the system in a crunch period. They skip giving feedback to their employee because it's going to take energy to slow down and do it. They ignore an email or assign a half-thought-out task to a team member expecting them to figure it out. The pull to take shortcuts is constant, but it almost always leads to a longer road.

Instead of slowing down enough to think completely, we end up surrounded by incomplete projects, half-finished conversations, and broken promises.

While I love moving with speed, I believe the way to gain real momentum is to establish clarity, do things well, stop ignoring the cracks, and take care of the people around you while you do it. I believe peace and performance are not mutually exclusive—that they necessitate each other.

It's a revolutionary thing to do in this day and age. To slow things down to investigate the right approach, to identify the right tool or tech, to create the brief, to empower a collaborator. You have to trust that results will come by not succumbing to the shortcut.

Think about it. When did you take a shortcut and it came back to bite you? I bet you can identify a few situations right off the top of your mind. We've all done it. And we all know how painful it can be.

Here are some shortcuts I know don't work:

• Avoiding dealing with our internal state (how we are feeling inside)
• Ignoring difficult emails or conversations
• Keeping people around that don't share your values
• Skipping over key practices that keep us organized and sane (like meditating, exercising, the Daily and Weekly Reviews)
• Pushing ourselves when really rest is what is needed
• Showing up late to meetings rather than planning properly
• Dealing with a double booking or scheduling conflict as soon as you see it

And yes, this applies to home life too—ignoring the broken ice maker, skipping the proper grocery list before going to the store, and putting off replacing old underwear!

I could go on, but I'm sure you get the point.

Stop searching for shortcuts. You don't need them. If you've been exposed to this work, you already have what you need to live and work well—and to accomplish things with speed. Master these tools first. Add on what truly inspires you. But don't fall prey to quick fixes and productivity hacks. They rarely solve the root problem.

If you're considering adding something new, ask yourself: Why am I adding this tool or tip? Do I even have the capacity for this right now?

Stay minimalist, calm, and clear in your approach to the complexity of work and life. And beware of shortcuts along the way!