The No. 1 skill of super productive people [Video]

Laura Mae Martin has taught some of the world’s brightest engineers and executives how to work smarter.

Martin is Google’s executive productivity advisor. It’s her job to help employees and C-suite leaders at the tech giant get more done — without burning out. 

When it comes to productivity, she says, the most common problem isn’t a missed hack; it’s that people try to take on too much work.

The most productive people share one skill that gives them a competitive edge in the workplace, according to Martin: setting specific, concrete priorities instead of vague, indefinite goals.

Goals can feel abstract and “far off,” while priorities are more specific and immediate, Martin says, making them easier to tackle. 

The way Martin sees it, a goal could be to get promoted to a managerial position within the next year, while a priority could be to develop leadership skillsby volunteering to take on a …