Imagine yourself at the end of your day, thinking, I was so busy today, I had so many things to do. Or would you rather say, I was very productive today, I have accomplished so many tasks on my list?
Being productive does not mean being busy. It doesn’t mean completing a lot of work within a limited amount of time (hour, work day, week, etc.). It is not checking off as many to-dos as quickly as possible.
Productivity is a conscious investment of your time, knowledge, skills, opportunities and other resources to move you measurably closer to achieving your most meaningful goals.
Each of us plays multiple roles in our life – parent, spouse, employee, business owner, friend, care taker, to name just a few. Your life roles and priorities change with time and life events (this is where work-life balance comes in play). Each role you fill has its own objectives. Some of them are broad (to retire comfortably with $1M in the bank), and some are narrow (to find a new hobby that will keep you happy for the next five years).
How do you approach these objectives? Well, how do you eat an elephant? Yes, that’s right, one bite at a time. Divide each of your objectives into small, attainable tasks, and focus on completing them.
Do not let procrastination and perfectionism get in the way. Just start and everything will fall into place. Most often, done is better than perfect. Don’t let last-minute requests from others (aka “other people’s stuff”) distract you from your own goals.
And lastly, don’t forget to reflect and review your progress. What gets measured, gets done. Check in with yourself daily or weekly to assess where you’re at and be proud of what you’ve accomplished.
It is a conscious application of your time, skills, and resources toward the completion of your goals. Do not mistake activity for achievement. Focus on your objectives one step at a time, not allowing yourself to be distracted by other people’s stuff.
Because, without being productive, the work you’re doing daily only makes you busy…
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