How to Be More Productive & Less Busy
We hear it all the time…”There are not enough hours in the day,” “I am too busy to get anything done,” “Sorry, but I just don’t have time.” If you take a look at what your day consists of, you may be able to start being more productive and less busy.
If you don’t have the right mindset around productivity, then all the technology in the world won’t make you more productive. So what is the difference between productive people versus busy people?
- Busy people want to look like they have a mission; Productive people HAVE a mission for their lives
- Busy people have many priorities; Productive people have few priorities
- Busy people say yes quickly; Productive people say yes slowly
- Busy people focus on action; Productive people focus on clarity BEFORE action
- Busy people keep all doors open; Productive people close doors
- Busy people talk about how busy they are; Productive people let their results do the talking
- Busy people talk about how little time they have; Productive people make time for what is important
- Busy people multitask; Productive people focus
- Busy people respond quickly to emails; Productive people take their time
- Busy people want other people to be busy; Productive people want others to be effective
- Busy people talk about how they will change; Productive people are making those changes
I think it’s pretty obvious that the productive people will have more success at balance in their lives, and most likely be more successful than those that are just always busy. Think about the things you can do to make this become reality in your world.
Do you have a business plan that you follow and track? I can’t think of a better way to gain clarity on where you are going than to have it set in a plan that you not only follow, but one that you check in on periodically to see where you are. It is much more difficult to get to where you want to be without knowing where that is. Without a plan you are just spinning your wheels being very busy, but maybe not getting the results you are looking for. With a plan, you know exactly where you are headed.
Are you in control of your schedule? Make sure you are protecting the time on your calendar that you use for prospecting. Do not agree to something that could conflict with your priorities without making sure that it will be productive for you and your priorities. Learn to say NO!
Are you the master of multitasking? STOP! Your productivity drops 40% when you try to do more than one thing at once. Focus on what the task at hand is, and ignore everything else. This means turn off your instant notifications on your phone while you are prospecting. It’s too easy to get distracted with the adorable puppy picture that your friend just posted on Facebook!
When you get an email notification, do you stop what you are doing to check your email? The most productive people will set times throughout the day to check their emails and respond, and they will focus on other tasks the remainder of the day. Do not let your email run your priorities!
If any of these sound familiar to you, it’s not too late to adjust your thinking and become a more productive, less stressed person. You may have to give up some habits and follow some self-induced rules. However, you will learn new habits that could give you much success!
