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.
Accomplish more with a 3-item priority list
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 …