Do you like "Productivity Porn"? Many in Middle Age do

There is never enough time to do the things we want, particularly in middle age where one's time can readily be squeezed by the generations above and below. (Of course there is always enough time to do the things we don't want to but that will be the subject of another post). Thus productivity can be important for one's level of happiness since it provides both the time to do those fun things as well as give us a sense of accomplishment.

Not surprisingly an entire cottage industry has blossomed addressing productivity from every possible facet--including it's own endemic terminology. For some the quest for productivity becomes an end in itself separate from the free time that it creates. In fact, some people spend so much time on being productive and all of the latest productivity tools that they end up spending more time being productive than what could ever be saved. For this group, the term "productivity porn" applies.

Productivity porn is defined by the tech-focused productivity blog 43 Folders as "a superclass of materials and methods for theoretically becoming more organized and productive. It can include systems like Getting Things Done and fetishized objects like Moleskine notebooks, index cards, and the Fisher Space Pen. It is believed by some that to be truly productive you must rid yourself of all the tricks and ciphers used to "feel productive." Others simply enjoy the pastime of collecting notebooks, trading tips, and talking about systems, even if these are not items that they use expressly for the purpose of increasing productivity, improving time management, or what have you."

If you are interested in productivity porn, or more seriously just being more productive, here are a few popular resources:

Gretchen Ruben's Happiness Project [link]
43 Folders [link]
LifeHacker [link]

LifeTwo will also post productivity tips (often garnered from these sites), particularly as they relate to dealing with our midlife time demands. As mentioned above, middle age is a time that everyone and everything wants a piece of you--including that little voice in your head that says "Hey, what about me?".

productivity