Chad Fowler, in his book, My Job Went to India, made the following remarks about working effectively:
If you treat your projects like a race, you’ll get to the end a lot faster than if you treat them like a prison cell.
A sense of urgency, even if manufactured, is enough to easily double or triple your productivity.
I’d add that it needs to be an enjoyable race, and that urgency, sustained for too long, can wear a person out. Races are more enjoyable when run with a group of friends.