How to be more Productive

War strategy and tactics junkies that we are, my friend and I have always believed that you can apply military science in dealing with everyday issues. Not that one has to nuke the next door neighbor or make death squad soldiers out of kids but it can be a matter of adapting what you can, when you can. Probably that’s why some enterprising people published books adapting Sun Tzu’s Art of War in the realm of business.

Here’s a thought on using Divide and Rule/Conquer Tactics to be more productive.


It’s easier to deal with smaller tasks than one humongous one. Remember that even if you have one general goal, you can create sub-goals or milestones to target. Take a look at project management for example where the key is to plot a project (which has a goal) and divide it into phases. Each phase would have a milestone (a major step towards the goal). Individual tasks for these phases can then be pinpointed.

Plan- As mentioned above, there’s a great deal of planning to be done before you hack your way to accomplishing something. So why not use your time wisely and plan. Schedule your day so that you know how much time you could and should spend each task that needs to be done. If you find one task two big, divide it even more. And work your way through each phase.

Prioritize- Know what tasks are important and know which ones can take the backburner. Have a to-do list handy and put a star across items that could not be put off until tomorrow.

With a bit of practice and getting-used-to you’d be amazed at how, with a bit of planning, you can easily take on big tasks and, at the end of the day, feel that you’ve accomplished something.

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