As Google’s executive productivity advisor, Laura Mae Martin’s job is to help employees and executives optimize their productivity without experiencing burnout. She has coached some of the brightest professionals in the world on how to work more efficiently and has recently unveiled the top skill that can provide them with a competitive edge and improve their chances of promotion.
In an interview with CNBC Make It, Martin, who has been with Google for over 14 years, emphasized that the most common productivity issue is not missing hacks but rather taking on too much work. She explained that establishing specific, concrete priorities is more crucial than setting vague, indefinite goals.
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Martin advised that workers can gain an advantage by starting with a “3-item priority list.” She noted that trying to pursue multiple goals simultaneously can lead to wasted energy. “Very few of us can focus on 10 large things,” she said, explaining that concentrating on three significant objectives allows individuals to work more effectively and diligently on important projects.
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She suggested writing priorities on a Post-it note and placing it on your laptop or setting a recurring calendar reminder. This practice helps consciously focus your attention on what’s important, especially in the face of distractions.
Martin also advises employees to communicate their top three priorities to their managers and colleagues. Being clear about what is most important to them helps prevent misunderstandings that can disrupt the workplace.
The Google executive also urged professionals to normalize saying “no.” “I am a recovering yes-sayer, and I found it difficult to decline requests because I wanted to maintain social capital,” Martin shared with the publication. “However, it’s more detrimental to overcommit and underdeliver.”
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Additionally, she advised that the best way to decline is to provide a specific reason for your unavailability or to start by telling the requester that you need some time to think it over. “You want your colleagues to feel supported and respected, but it’s also important to safeguard your priorities because time is a finite resource,” Martin emphasized.
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