The HBR Work Smart Collection (4 Books)

13 Three Practical Ways to Be More Productive

by Ian Daley

Early in my corporate career, I was masterful at replying to emails instantly and staying on top of the multitude of requests I received from colleagues, vendors—and truthfully—anyone with my email address. There was an odd satisfaction in powering through my inbox. I felt entirely in control.

It was 2009, and as a newly minted pharmaceutical sales rep, I believed this attitude was a marker of success. To some degree, it served me well. I was highly attentive to customers, viewed as reliable by my team, and could deliver on any ad hoc requests from the head office.

My success fed my false belief that when something works once, it will work again and again. As a recent grad, at ...