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Set the transmission to high gear

When you exit planning mode, you enter execution mode. This is productivity in its most basic sense: completing a task as effectively and efficiently as feasible.
Your efficacy and efficiency are determined by:

  • Experience: There is a learning curve for any task. A person who is performing a task for the hundredth time will be faster and better than a newbie.
  • Workflow: Peter, one of my colleagues, is an expert in process optimization. He keeps his desk, desktop, folders, bookmarks, file names, and code tidy, which makes working a lot easier and more fun.
  • Tools: Accept technologies and tools that will increase your productivity.
  • Intelligence: Obviously, it plays a role, but one that I believe is frequently exaggerated. Aside from nature and nurture, performance is also influenced by things under your control, such as your environment and habits.
  • Flow state: Flow is a state of mind that helps us to be extremely productive. It's a mental state in which:
    • One's attention is concentrated on a small number of stimuli.
    • Nothing else matters since you're completely focused and involved.
    • You don't have to be concerned about failing.
    • You become disoriented, and time becomes twisted.
    • Your actions and awareness are intertwined.