I would like to introduce you today to
3 powerful elements of productivity. These are the cornerstone of
productivity without which one cannot be productive, and here they are:
- Knowledge
- Action
- Consistency
I call this the Productivity Triangle,
and if all 3 element meet in a person, he/she becomes truly productive.
But if one element is missing that’s when unproductivity kicks in.
So how do these 3 elements work?
Knowledge
وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا say, “O my Lord! advance me in knowledge (Taha, Chapter #20, Verse #114)
It all starts with knowledge.
Understanding what you need to do, and how to do it. One of the top
reasons for people to procrastinate on a project or task is that they do
not know how to do it. And they are worried to approach this learning
curve out of fear that they may never understand how to do it.
Here’s some good news though: Knowledge
can be attained in a number of ways, and I’ve yet to meet someone who
has put their mind onto something and failed to gain knowledge in that
area. But the key factor here is action, you need to put effort in to
gaining knowledge.
Here are top tips to gaining knowledge:
1. Research online/offline:
Al-hamdulillah, the information world is
in our finger tips these days and this is a blessing of Allah
(Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) upon us all. I’ve found myself if I lack knowledge
in a field, I would firstly go to the Library and pick as many books on
the topic as I can, I’ll read some of them and scan through others,
then I’ll research online or listen to further audiobooks/podcast on the
topic and within a few weeks/months, that knowledge gap would be filled
with the permission of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala)
2. Ask an expert/Someone who has done it before:
If there’s something new you need to
learn, then know that there’s a teacher out there who’s ready to share
his/her knowledge with you. And trust me, no matter how “important” this
person is, you’d be surprised how they would love to pass their
knowledge to you. Approaching them through associates or friends can be a
good start, or a direct e-mail and cold calling can sometimes work. The
most important thing is to be persistent until you get what you need
from them.
3. Make dua:
Knowledge is a blessing of Allah
(Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) upon you, and it’s enlightening. So if you’re
stuck or find yourself not knowing much about a subject and really need
to learn about it, ask Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) for help and try some
of the above methods to gain what you desire. A word of caution here:
Make sure you seek beneficial knowledge, that is knowledge that will be
beneficial to you either in this world, or hereafter, or both
preferrably!
Action
The value of knowledge without action is
zilch! In fact, this brings about the wrath of Allah (Subhanahu Wa
Ta’ala) – may Allah protect us. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) described
those who had the knowledge but did little action as “those who incurred
His anger” in the opening chapter of the Quran. So let’s not be one of
them.
But here’s an important point: in one
hand we need to remember that we must take action upon the knowledge
that we learnt in order to be productive, but we have to understand here
that Action/Ability or Skill comes from Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala)
first and foremost, since without his permission you can’t do anything.
That’s why again in the opening chapter we say: “You alone we worship and You alone we seek help from”. So we want to worship Him, but we can’t worship Him without His permission, and this is true servitude to Allah.
When you realise that everything you do,
you’re doing it with the permission of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala),
you’ll be humble in your approach, will seek perfection in all your
actions, and you’ll be sincere in what you do.
Also, action starts with you taking the
first step. Again, those of us who procrastinate, here’s a
killer-productivity technique: Start working on a project/task for just
10 minutes and watch yourself drift to 30-45 minutes. Give yourself a 5
minute break and then start again for ‘just’ 10 minutes. I always say
that our ‘nafs’ and self is like a baby, and we have to treat it that
way; a bit of encouragement, a bit of scolding, a bit of prize and it’ll
get a long just fine.
Consistency
So, you’ve gained the knowledge, you’ve
taken action and after a few days, you flop. You can’t be bothered and
you’re not productive anymore. 90% of the productivity complaints is
regarding consistency. People normally have no issue in gaining
knowledge or taking action, but being consistent that’s when they find
it hard.
I’ll admit, this is the hardest stage and there’s no easy answer, but here are some helpful advice:
1. Start small and grow slow
It’s tempting when you’re super excited
about a project to jump into it with BIG action and BIG tasks only to
find yourself overwhelemed a few days after. Why not start small, build
small, and grow slowly over the years? Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon
him) said that the most beloved actions to Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala)
are those that are consistent even if they are small.
2. Break it down
Some of the reasons why it’s hard to
become consistent in your action is because the action is HUGE or takes a
number of tasks to achieve. Try breaking it down and see if there’s
better ways of doing it: can you eliminate some steps? Can you delegate
some parts?. As the Chinese proverb goes: A journey of 1000 miles starts
with one step. My only addition to this is: KEEP WALKING!
3. Check your Intentions
Sometimes when you fail to be
consistent on a project, it might be a sign that perhaps your intentions
are not pure and sincere. For example, if you’ve tried many times to
memorize the Quran and failed, check your hearth, check your intention,
who are you doing it for. Normally, when our intentions are pure and
when our goals are bigger than ourselves, it’s easier to be consistent
inshaAllah.
4. Ask Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) for help
I swear upon the One who created me
and you, you cannot be consistent in any task, project, endeavour you’re
in except by His permission. So ask Allah for help in all your matters
and ask Him to that He makes you consistent. Most importantly, ask Him
to be consistent in your Deen and religion, so that you’re constantly
worshipping Him to the best of your ability and improving yourself and
those around you.
I hope you found this article
beneficial. Can you find practical examples of how
Knowledge-Action-Consistency made you productive?
Click to read more: http://productivemuslim.com/the-productivity-triangle/#ixzz3How4Xfgr
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