Nobody is too busy; it’s just a matter of priorities.
— Alen Huskanović
Do you catch yourself saying (or thinking) “I’m too busy”? If yes, assess whether you’re truly BUSY versus being PRODUCTIVE. There is a difference!
Thomas Edison said: Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing.
It’s up to us to manage our time. In general we’re pretty good at making time for what’s important to us but we don’t always excel at NOT spending time on unimportant things.
How good a job do you do making time for what’s important to you? Do you focus on supporting your vision, mission and goals? For making time for family, friends, and hobbies? Or, do you easily/consistently get side-tracked by day to day activities that are not important?
Things to consider:
- Productive people have a mission and ensure their actions and behaviors support it
- Productive people are clear on what needs to be accomplished
- Productive people strive to obtain results and avoid “busy work” that wastes time
- Productive people understand that multi-tasking often impacts obtaining desired results
- Productive people are truly effective at maintaining their focus
The next time you catch yourself saying or thinking “I’m too busy” stop what you’re doing and re-think what’s important and what makes you productive. Then, evaluate:
- Which items have time constraints?
- What will the impact be if the timeline isn’t met?
- Which have dependencies you have no control over?
- Which MUST be done before the work-day ends?
- Which can be delegated to others or additional resources utilized to lessen the load?
Being aware of what’s important and our priorities will help us better manage our day, make better decisions, and increase productivity levels.
What can you do to change your mindset from being “busy” to being “productive”?
Nobody is ever too busy. If they care, they will make time.
—unknown