What is a Productivity Plan?
This is an internal official document of the company. It identifies recurring problems and specific areas in which the employee needs to make efforts to improve the quality and results of his work. If performance does not change as planned, the company may transfer the employee to another position or terminate his employment. Blogger Nadine Huey decided to use this approach to refresh her relationship with her partner, and shared with his experience on TikTok.
In 2020, Nadine and her boyfriend, whom she dated for three months and quickly began to live together due to the pandemic, were going through a difficult period. To save the relationship, the girl put the guy on a “probationary period” for the same three months and introduced a “productivity improvement plan.”
Huey explained that her decision was not an ultimatum, but an attempt to try something new when all previous ways to find common ground had not worked. “I know this may sound harsh to some, but my boyfriend is an engineer. Sometimes it is very difficult to communicate with him if you do not use professional vocabulary that is already familiar to him. Besides, he liked the idea,” told Nadine in an interview with HuffPost.
She kept a general note with the daily and weekly tasks her partner needed to complete, as well as a list of things he needed to work on. This approach yielded results – the couple is still together and uses a productivity plan. In addition, Nadine and her boyfriend conduct a kind of test every week to figure out how comfortable they are in the relationship. Moreover, Nadine offered to create a plan for her, but her partner has no significant claims against her yet.
How to know if this plan is right for you
Many criticized Nadine for turning a personal relationship into a working relationship, sealed with something like a contract. But psychologists notethat a productivity improvement plan might be a very good idea. It all depends on how you approach the issue.
Any relationship is built on agreements, explicit or hidden. If you both think a productivity plan will help each partner individually and the relationship as a whole, it’s worth a try. But if one person begins to manipulate the other, treating him like a child or a delinquent bully during his “probation period,” this can seriously harm the dynamics of the relationship.
A good union does not appear out of nowhere. It is the result of the joint efforts of two people who make each other better. This is why a productivity plan will only work if it is aimed at both partners and everyone agrees with the benefits that this method can offer.
Nadine’s project turned out to be successful because it suited her boyfriend, who likes to put everything into order. She relied on her partner’s strengths, his preferences and needs – and her plan bore fruit. If your partner loves to-do lists, calendars, and schedules, and you want to improve something in your relationship, a productivity plan shouldn’t be discounted.
Creative people, on the contrary, will find it difficult to switch from habitual spontaneity to clear organization. A healthy relationship cannot be built if you do not understand what your partner wants. Therefore, in this case, you need to find a method that suits your couple.
How to use a productivity plan
Everything is very individual and depends on your habits and needs, as well as on the habits and needs of your partner. Here are some examples of how you can apply a productivity plan to your relationship. They will help you understand in which direction you should move.
For example, you want to spend more time with your loved one, but he is an introvert by nature. Add a specific number of dates per week that your partner will be expected to go on with you, and make realistic changes to his schedule that will help him devote the appropriate amount of time to the relationship.
If your partner, on the contrary, is an extrovert and constantly brings friends home, and you want to relax after work in silence, include in your plan an item about how many times a week you are ready for home gatherings – for example, only once or twice. Such clear boundaries will help avoid conflicts.
Another example: you love cleanliness, but your partner is used to living in creative disorder. Create a cleaning schedule for your partner and rules for living together that he will be required to follow, such as washing dishes immediately after eating and not leaving clothes on the chair. This will allow you to gradually find a middle ground between your needs.
