Written by: Amber Barry, Senior Level Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
The science of busyness is interesting. Some research supports the notion that greater busyness is associated with better cognition, while others refer to busyness as a disease. But at the end of the day it's not about what the research says, it's about two things:
1) The impact your current level of busy has on your life.
2) How productive you are in relation to your busyness.
If you're anything like me, being busy makes you feel important. It makes you feel like you have a purpose in life. It makes you feel like you HAVE a life! But if you're struggling with productivity, focus or seeing things through to completion, you may have already recognized that being busy just for the sake of having things to do is not helping you reach your goals.
The following exercise is meant to create awareness about where you are now so you can recognize if the way you're currently approaching your day-to-day life needs tweaking.
Take a minute to consider these questions:
• How would it change your life and your business if you were clear and intentional about the things you spent your time on?
• What would change if you prioritized the things that were truly important to you, and left the time fillers, distractions and fluff?
• How would your world change if you had the ability to focus on ONE thing at a time, instead of doing (or thinking about doing) 8 different things at once?
Then, rate your current state of busyness on a scale from 0-10, with 10 being ZERO time to eat, sleep or breathe.
Next, rate your productivity using the same scale, keeping in mind that productivity is how well the time, effort and energy you invest in a given task, project or goal yields the outcome you desire. This may vary from task to task, but getting into the habit of recognizing the relationship between the two is a good idea because it will help you pinpoint the areas that need improvement.
Finally, see how your numbers stack up. Ideally, you'll rate higher in the productivity department.
Why is this important?
If you're constantly investing more energy in being busy WITHOUT effectively reaching your goals, your likelihood of burnout increases. And not only that, it can negatively impact your confidence, forward progress and personal satisfaction. This energetic mismatch should be addressed if you're aiming to ration and conserve your energy for the things that matter to you. If you're a 9.2 on the busy scale, but a 3.7 on the productivity scale, for example, there's a and you're probably feeling the drain.
Like meditation or any other good habit, shifting the way you approach things requires practice. Here are a few tips to make it easier:
1) When you find your mind wandering, bring yourself back to the task at hand.
If you keep picking up your phone to scroll social media or respond to emails, put it on do not disturb or turn it off altogether. Please pay attention to all of the other things that regularly distract you too, so you can create a plan to navigate them when they pop up.
2) Wherever you are, be there.
Sure, you may have 10 important things on your agenda, but you can only effectively accomplish one at a time. Make a list of everything you need to get done, and then commit yourself to doing one thing at a time. Practice not thinking about the 9 other things you have to do! It'll keep you more focused and productive, and you'll feel a lot less scattered in the process.
3) Don't jump into anything without an agenda.
Be clear about what you're trying to accomplish when you sit down to do it so you can stay focused and on track. Commit to focusing for 10-15 minute blocks at first. If you take the time to get your head fully in the game upfront, it'll be easier for you to stick to your project and see it through.
4) Be realistic about how long it will take you to successfully accomplish the outcome you're aiming for.
The more you practice focusing on one thing at a time, the easier it gets and the more productive you'll be... but remember, this isn't an open invitation to pile more onto your plate!
Ultimately, this requires planning, strategy and focus. Practice sitting down with intention and keep your end goal in mind.
If you're struggling with productivity or you have a success story to share, I'd love to hear about it!
Amber Barry, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Amber Barry is a U.S.based business strategist and consultant specializing in digital marketing, automations, and social media advertising for small businesses and startups. She is passionate about deconstructing the process of establishing and growing a business and aims to make it less overwhelming and easier to navigate for new business owners. She is the founder of Amber Barry | Digital, a digital marketing and advertising agency, and creator of The Go-Getters Club, where she offers online courses and coaching to women in business to help them maximize their marketing efforts and turn their small steps into big wins and massive momentum. She is a Registered Nurse and a Certified Health Coach by training and draws from her 12+ years of experience in health and wellness and 20+ years as an endurance athlete to help people transform their journey as business owners into an enjoyable, successful, fulfilling experience.
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