Beyond Productivity Porn: The Metrics That Actually Matter
Forget inbox zero and pomodoros. These are the only productivity metrics you need to track for sustained high performance.
The productivity industry is full of vanity metrics: email count, hours worked, tasks completed. These numbers feel good but rarely correlate with actual achievement. Let's talk about the metrics that actually predict success.
The Problems with Traditional Metrics
Inbox zero feels productive, but did you advance your most important project? You worked 60 hours this week, but did you make meaningful progress on your key results?
Traditional productivity metrics measure activity, not progress. In "The 4 Disciplines of Execution", the authors distinguish between lag measures (results) and lead measures (predictive behaviors).
Velocity: Your True Progress Rate
Velocity measures how fast you're moving toward your goals. It's not about how busy you are—it's about how much distance you're covering toward your objectives.
"It's not about how busy you are, it's about how productive you are." — Peter Drucker
KeyResults calculates velocity by tracking your key result completion rate over time.
Momentum: The Compounding Force
Momentum measures consistency. Are you making progress every week, or are you feast-and-famine? High momentum means you're building habits and systems that compound over time.
KeyResults' momentum score tracks your consistency across multiple dimensions: Are you completing weekly reviews? Are you maintaining active goals?
Health Score: The System Overview
Your health score combines velocity, momentum, completion rates, and consistency into a single metric. It's like your credit score—a quick snapshot of your overall productivity health.
In KeyResults, your health score is prominently displayed on your dashboard.
Leading vs. Lagging Indicators
Lagging indicators tell you what happened. Leading indicators predict what will happen. Goal completion is a lagging indicator. Weekly review consistency is a leading indicator.
Focus your energy on leading indicators—the activities you can control today that predict tomorrow's results. ```