Being busy does not equate to being productive

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Nowadays the most common complaints are: I do not have time; the day does not have enough hours; my task list grows more than I can cross tasks off; I do not manage to do everything planned due to what comes up. Do you recognise yourself in any of these sentences?

Turns out that sometimes we cannot see the wood for the trees. That means that with everything to do we lose the overall view and sight of what is important. We keep busy and do not stop doing things but neither do we feel nor are we productive.

Accept that you cannot do everything

First of all, realise and accept that you will always have more things to do than time available to do them. Time is limited and both on personal and professional level there are usually more things we want to do than there are hours in the day. If, on top of it, we do things as they arise without considering their importance, the feeling of not achieving anything will only increase.

Are there days when you do thing after thing but at the end feel like not having achieved anything? That is because you will have worked on a lot of stuff that came up but not have made progress on what you had planned and was important.

Turns out that the sense of accomplishment, the feeling that the day has been productive, usually does not result from having done everything to do. It is rather the result of having achieved something important you had planned. Being productive does not mean to do a lot of things but make progress on the important. So accept that you do not have time for everything you want and think you should do; indeed it is not necessary to feel satisfied.

Do you feel like there are not enough hours in the day for everything you want to do? Are you busy or being #productive? Share on X

Contemplate the wood

Using the previous analogy, step back in order to not only see the tree, that is the urgency or contingency that has come up. Have a look at the entire wood, in other words the whole of your life and what is important to you on personal and professional level. That way you will be able to better assess what you should dedicate your time to. Maybe it is solving that contingency. But perhaps you realise that it is not that primary, that you can do it later or even that somebody else can solve it.

In order to get an overall view, I recommend you write down all the issues. If we trust our memory we do not only risk a feeling of overwhelm but will also have a hard time differentiating what is important from what is less, what is urgent from what is less. That is why it is important to have a good system of project and task lists as well as project plans. This helps you organise yourself and prioritise as well as keep your mind clear and be productive.

You cannot see the wood for the trees? Step back to gain an overall view and sight of your #priorities. Then decide how to best spend your time. #productivity Share on X

Choose the tree which will give most fruit

With the overview and your priorities in mind, choose the tree that deserves most attention. Think of the Pareto principle whereas 20% of actions brings 80% of results. Therefore, consider which is the 20% that will bear more fruit to be more productive.

Which are the tasks and activities that will provide you more satisfaction, sense of accomplishment and productivity? Out of these important issues choose the next task or activity you want or should do.

When we have a lot to do, this exercise is key in order not to succumb to micromanagement and just keep busy doing any task.

Are you busy or #productive. Apply the #Pareto principle to determine the 20% of #actions that bring 80% of #results. #productivity Share on X

Take into account the moment of the day

When deciding your next step, the moment of the day and your energy level also have an influence. There are activities that require a high level of attention and concentration. But right before or after lunch for example, your energy level might not be the best to work on that type of issues effectively.

Therefore, reserve important issues that do not require a lot of concentration or not that important tasks you need to do for those moments when your energy level drops. There will also be other issues where you depend on other people and their working hours. Try as you might want to progress on the issue, this might not be the most moment. So, when planning your day take into account these two aspects.

Deal with urgencies and contingencies

Although we plan our day, it is common for things we had not foreseen to come up. However, that does not alway mean we should stop what we are doing in order to attend the issue. Our brain is programmed to pay attention to interruptions. That is why we feel tempted to solve immediately what comes up.

When this happens, remember that your brain is pointing out the tree without taking into account the wood. Therefore, take a moment to think. How urgent and important is the issue arisen? Is it more important than what you were doing? Is it really that urgent or can you solve it later? Do not forget to ask yourself or the person requesting something by when the matter needs to be solved.

Limit the contingencies

Not all contingencies are really unexpected. They can be due to a lack of foresight and planning. Which are your company’s and department’s priorities currently? Are there events, important meetings or special occasions soon? How does that affect your work? Will you have to do anything? These questions will help you organise your work with foresight and anticipate what may come up. Working more proactively you will be more productive.

Before you stop doing what you are up to in order to solve an #urgency or #contingency assess its #importance and real urgency. #Productivity Share on X

Do not be afraid of clarifying the priorities

Sometimes we take on a task without questioning it and, on top of it, leave what we were doing to solve it. However, if you are working on priority issues you should consider if it is you who should deal with that matter and, if that, if you need to do so right now. It is just that sometimes we do not dare. That is why I insist in several posts on the importance of training your assertiveness; that is having the courage to ensure respect for your work and time and clarify the importance and urgency of the request.

Although there might exist some boss who seems an ogre, think that he/she is a person, same as you. So do not be afraid of telling what important task you are working on currently and asking if the request is more important, in case you are unsure. Your boss will also have a lot of issues on his/her hand and cannot have control over what everybody on the team does at every moment. That is why there is nothing wrong with reminding what you are doing and asking for a clarification of your priorities, if needed.

That way you make sure you use your time in the most appropriate and productive way.

To work in a #productive way, you need to be clear about the #priorities. If you have doubts, do not be afraid to clarify them. #productivity Share on X

Congratulate yourself for your achievements

At the end of the day, I suggest you congratulate yourself for everything achieved. On one hand, this will help you become aware of everything you have done throughout the day. This will contribute to that sense of accomplishment I have mentioned earlier. On the other hand it will also motivate you to start the next day with more enthusiasm.

Recap

In order to work more productively, it is necessary to decide consciously what to dedicate our time to. Therefore, we need to be clear about our priorities on personal and professional level. Planning our weeks and days in order to work proactively and limit contingencies will also help our productivity.

Are you busy or productive?

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