PMs: 60-hour weeks ≠ impact.
I wasted 2 years on work that looked productive but stalled my career. Elite PMs do the opposite.
Avoid these 6 fake productivity traps. Took me 2 years to spot, you’ll get them in 2 mins. 🧵
I wasted 2 years on work that looked productive but stalled my career. Elite PMs do the opposite.
Avoid these 6 fake productivity traps. Took me 2 years to spot, you’ll get them in 2 mins. 🧵
1/ Writing detailed PRDs that nobody reads
I spent weeks crafting 20-page documents with perfect formatting.
Reality: Engineers skipped to the acceptance criteria. Stakeholders never opened them.
What to do instead: Start with a 1-page problem statement. Add details only when someone asks specific questions.
I spent weeks crafting 20-page documents with perfect formatting.
Reality: Engineers skipped to the acceptance criteria. Stakeholders never opened them.
What to do instead: Start with a 1-page problem statement. Add details only when someone asks specific questions.
2/ Attending status update meetings
I thought being in every meeting made me seem essential.
Reality: Most meetings are information theater. You're not contributing, just consuming.
What to do instead: Ask "Is this for decision-making or just updates?" If updates, request async summaries instead.
I thought being in every meeting made me seem essential.
Reality: Most meetings are information theater. You're not contributing, just consuming.
What to do instead: Ask "Is this for decision-making or just updates?" If updates, request async summaries instead.
3/ Over-documenting everything "for future reference"
I documented every decision, every conversation, every brainstorm.
Reality: Nobody ever referenced 90% of it. I was creating artifacts for an imaginary future team.
What to do instead: Document only what impacts current decisions. Everything else is procrastination disguised as diligence.
I documented every decision, every conversation, every brainstorm.
Reality: Nobody ever referenced 90% of it. I was creating artifacts for an imaginary future team.
What to do instead: Document only what impacts current decisions. Everything else is procrastination disguised as diligence.
4/ Responding to every Slack message immediately
I thought fast responses showed dedication.
Reality: Constant context switching destroyed my ability to think strategically.
What to do instead: Check Slack 3x daily. Set clear expectations about response times. Use "office hours" for complex discussions.
I thought fast responses showed dedication.
Reality: Constant context switching destroyed my ability to think strategically.
What to do instead: Check Slack 3x daily. Set clear expectations about response times. Use "office hours" for complex discussions.
5/ Creating perfect roadmaps that change weekly
I spent days color-coding timelines and dependency diagrams.
Reality: The roadmap was outdated before I finished it. Stakeholders cared about outcomes, not Gantt charts.
What to do instead: Create theme-based roadmaps focused on problems to solve, not features to ship.
I spent days color-coding timelines and dependency diagrams.
Reality: The roadmap was outdated before I finished it. Stakeholders cared about outcomes, not Gantt charts.
What to do instead: Create theme-based roadmaps focused on problems to solve, not features to ship.
6/ Doing competitive analysis without clear purpose
I researched every competitor feature "to stay informed."
Reality: Random competitive research is just procrastination with extra steps.
What to do instead: Only research competitors when you have a specific decision to make. Define the question before you start looking.
I researched every competitor feature "to stay informed."
Reality: Random competitive research is just procrastination with extra steps.
What to do instead: Only research competitors when you have a specific decision to make. Define the question before you start looking.
"But wait - these activities are PM best practices!"
I hear you. I felt the same way.
Here's what I learned: There's a difference between doing PM work and being a productive PM.
I hear you. I felt the same way.
Here's what I learned: There's a difference between doing PM work and being a productive PM.
New PMs think more documentation = more value.
Experienced PMs know that clarity = value.
The hardest part isn't learning these principles.
It's having the confidence to say no to "urgent" requests that aren't actually important.
It's trusting that strategic thinking matters more than being visibly busy.
It's accepting that your worth isn't measured by hours worked.
Experienced PMs know that clarity = value.
The hardest part isn't learning these principles.
It's having the confidence to say no to "urgent" requests that aren't actually important.
It's trusting that strategic thinking matters more than being visibly busy.
It's accepting that your worth isn't measured by hours worked.
I've collected systematic approaches to these productivity challenges, including frameworks for prioritization and stakeholder management.
You'll find them in
($89)prodmgmt.world/products/produ…
You'll find them in
($89)prodmgmt.world/products/produ…
For specific prompts that help with documentation and analysis tasks, I've been testing out "AI Prompts for Product Work" - it has some clever shortcuts for these exact problems.
($15)prodmgmt.world/products/ai-pr…
($15)prodmgmt.world/products/ai-pr…
The transformation isn't immediate.
But eliminate these 6 activities and you'll reclaim 10+ hours per week.
Use that time for customer conversations, strategic thinking, and actually solving problems.
That's where careers are built.
What's one activity you're going to eliminate this week?
But eliminate these 6 activities and you'll reclaim 10+ hours per week.
Use that time for customer conversations, strategic thinking, and actually solving problems.
That's where careers are built.
What's one activity you're going to eliminate this week?
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