Are performance and productivity different? People often use the words interchangeably .. is there a difference? Yes!

Archery teaches us both the definition and differences between performance and productivity.
Imagine two archers who have one minute to shoot arrows at a target. Archer one takes her time and gets off one arrow only, but it hits right in the bullseye. Archer two is going for speed so she gets off three arrows, but none of them hit the bullseye. Archer one had high performance and low productivity. Archer two had low performance, but high productivity.
Performance then is hitting the bullseye. This is the quality of what gets done. Producitivity is how many arrows you get off. This is the quantity of what is done.
You can train yourself to achieve high performance and high productivity by pre-week planning. When you take time before the week starts to identify your key priorities for the week, you pick out your bullseyes – that’s performance. By then scheduling those priorities before prioritizing your schedule, you instinctively accomplish more of them. That’s productivity.
Want to boost your productivity and performance?
First, choose a time this weekend when you will do pre-week planning. Set an alarm for that time so you don’t miss it.

Second, choose the best pre-week planning tool for you:
- We offer a free template for those who are new to Pre-Week Planning
- The BYB physical planner lets you use pen and paper for pre-week planning
- The Chrome Extension lets you pre-week plan within your Google/Outlook calendar
“When you have developed the habit of pre-week planning you are able to be calm and focuses during the storm.” Steve & Rob Shallenberger
Want to see other articles and posts by Becoming Your Best? Go here.

Episode 382: The Podcast that Could Save Your Life with Chad Pollard
Tune in to Episode 382 and learn more about Chad’s revolutionary discovery that’ll change how we diagnose diseases.

Episode 381: Your Mindful Choice Is Your Ego Working For or Against You with Christie Garcia
Tune in to Episode 381 of Becoming Your Best and learn how mindful choices can produce real change in your leadership abilities.

Episode 380: Married Happily Ever After with Dr. Frieda Birnbaum
Tune in to Episode 380 and discover the foundations of a happily ever after marriage.
“When you have developed the habit of pre-week planning you are able to be calm and focuses during the storm.” Steve & Rob Shallenberger