What is productivity?
In its most basic sense, productivity is the amount of value produced divided by the amount of cost (or time) required to do so. And while this equation may seem simple enough at first glance, strategies for optimizing it have evolved dramatically over the past two decades.
Technology has enabled huge personal productivity gains - computers, spreadsheets, email and other advancements have made it possible for a knowledge worker to produce seemingly more in a day than was previously possible in a year. It's tempting to conclude that if individuals can do their jobs much better and faster, then overall productivity should increase.