# Zen Productivity Lots and lots of things have been said and written about productivity. We could say that we live in a productivity-obsessed society. Sadly, many productivity gurus forget about the importance of *balance* and *sustainability*. They recommend approaches to keep making us more productive, but often their recommendations are unsustainable over long periods of time. Next to that, work environments push us to the limit, always demanding more while giving us less time and resources. There's a hard limit to how productive we can be, and a necessity for us all to take better care of our health. More and more people end up burning out like candles. Out of energy, with a body that just says STOP. Ambitious people are generally driven by results. They always try to do more. To the point of being labeled as workaholics. That implies that they say yes to most of the opportunities that cross their radar. But that's unsustainable. And once they realize it, it's often too late. Zen productivity is a different path. It's all about reaching and maintaining a sane _equilibrium_. It's a combination of mentality, a different approach to work, systems and routines to help us effortlessly on what really matters, manage our time thoughtfully, and leave enough room for leisure, rest and recovery. [[The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything]] Very successful people know that they have to avoid neglecting their mental and physical health. They recognize that if they fail to take care of themselves, they'll end up hurting their business. ## Related - [[Hard work]] - [[Work life balance]] - [[Work life integration]] - [[George Kao]] ## References - https://www.georgekao.com/joyful-productivity