Productivity is about achieving meaningful results and making the most of your time, while busyness is simply being occupied with activities, whether they are important or not. The key to personal and professional success is to prioritize productivity over busyness, focusing on tasks and activities that truly contribute to your goals and using your time efficiently and effectively.
Read MoreWe all want to get more done this week.
But if this week becomes like all other weeks (a likely reality for many) then we'll look back yet again and wonder why.
🔎Why we couldn't be more focused.
📋Why we couldn't achieve more.
🎡Why we seem stuck in a perpetual rut.
The truth is, there are reasons that we don't get more done.
Some might call them excuses.
But since they affect so many of us, let's just assume that they're real and need to be identified if they're to be addressed.
Here are some of the most common reasons.
1.5 liters of water 💧, a moderate workout 🏋, and 2 protein shakes 🥤.
That’s how I started my day (at 4:45).
Why? Read on! 👇
It’s hard to get back to work on an empty stomach.
But that’s what’s happening for many of my coreligionists today who are fasting.
From the moment we wake up each day, we’re faced with a continuous flow of choices. Many are minor and some are major. Even things that don’t seem so important, like what to take along for lunch or which task to complete first, can become bigger deals when we start to consider how aligned they are (or aren’t) with our goals and strategic priorities.
When we’re confronted with too many options, we tend to feel overwhelmed, anxious, stressed or otherwise out of sorts. This is known as decision fatigue, a state of mental overload that can impede our ability to make additional decisions. When our minds are fatigued, we tend to make worse decisions and exercise less self-control.
Read MoreEighty-six percent of employees say they’re most productive when they work from home, as cited by Fundera. Seventy-seven percent of employees report greater productivity while working off-site, according to the Remote Collaborative Worker Survey by CoSo Cloud. Sixty-four percent of global business leaders said flexible working had a positive impact on productivity, Condeco reports. Telecommuters are 14% more productive than their office-bound colleagues, according to a study released by Stanford University. Research found that working from home increases job performance and productivity while also decreasing the number of sick days taken.
Read MoreRetired U.S. Army four-star General Stanley McChrystal gets a lot done. And it starts with his mornings, which are organized with military precision. Since his day is booked with work, he wakes up each morning at 4:00 AM to get in a 90-minute workout in before he heads into the office. This is the advice he dispenses for all of us to improve our own morning routines.
“Find certain things you know you should do, don’t like to do, or make excuses to avoid, and then do them every day or every other day, and then it just becomes a habit.”
Read MoreNow that we have determined which tasks we need to be doing, the next step is to set clear, actionable goals that will help us get our tasks done. Goal setting is a critical component of any growth process, personal or professional.
There are many benefits of setting goals, including:
Clarity and focus: Goals motivate us to cut through the weeds and get focused on what’s really important
Planning: Goals help us map out the necessary steps to achieve our desired result
Accountability: Goals force us to set and meet deadlines and be accountable to others
Transparency: When shared, goals help others understand what we’re focused on
Self-esteem: Goals raise our self-confidence as we see ourselves grow and progress
When you're feeling down or just "not in the mood"...
just take action!
This morning, I woke up feeling anything but "up."
I wasn't in the mood for my morning workout and was feeling a bit down in general due to some recent developments (nothing major, thank G-d.)
So, what did I do?
I remembered William (Bill) McRaven's "Make your bed!" motto and I decided to take action.
Productivity begins with engagement and passion. Disengaged, dispassionate workplaces are much less productive.
It is well-documented that many folks are not passionate about their work. According to Deloitte research, “Up to 87.7 percent of America’s workforce is not able to contribute to their full potential because they don’t have passion for their work.”
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