The Productivity Secret for Getting Things Done—Revealed by a Spy

19 Jul 2025 #productivity

We think of guns, car chases, and James Bond when talking about spies.

Productivity rarely comes to mind. But real espionage, as shown in TV shows like The Agency or Lioness, is full of chaos, multitasking, and shifting priorities.

Thanks to Mr. YouTube algorithm, I stumbled upon an interview with a former American spy:

He answers a ton of questions about espionage and psychology. But here are three battle-tested lessons about productivity I learned:

#1. We all have to balance the same three resources. Energy, money, and time. Two of them are limited. The other one, not so much. That’s why we should optimize for energy and time.

#2. Task saturation is when you have more tasks than you can comfortably handle. When that happens, you become so overwhelmed, you stop thinking rationally. Think of how many tasks you can handle at the same time and subtract two. That’s your sweet spot.

#3. When you’re task saturated, always tackle the task you can finish the fastest. And then, the next fastest one and so on. That gives you a sense of progress and momentum.

With those three lessons, you’re ready to get things done like a real spy. Don’t forget the cool gadgets and masks from Mission Impossible.