Were you productive today?
My husband asks me that at the end of every day.
I feel productive when I move the ball a few inches closer towards my main goal. Some days I have easier goals, and others I feel like the results produced were not ideal or what I was hoping for.
I am a devoted believer in working smarter, not harder. But the path to figuring out what I consider being productive in my business certainly wasn’t smooth.
I remember when I used to start my Mondays feeling energized and determined to make it a productive week. Only to find myself on that Friday afternoon trying to figure out where the time went and with a longer to-do list than when I started the week.
I kept adding more hours to my day and continue to hustle until I reached a level of total burnout and complete overwhelm.
When it comes to entrepreneurs, the reality is that we are driven and passionate about work and it gets to point that it’s hard to separate the self from the business.
We create endless to-do lists and feel guilty if we don’t spend every waking hour getting things done. We forget that we still need to add other activities into our schedule, like gym, going out with friends, quality time with family, and so on.
We start “barking” at whoever tries to interrupt our “in-work” zone and all we can think about is that next blog post we need to create, the next social media graphic, the new You Tube video, editing, proofreading, hustle, hustle, hustle.
Next thing we know it turns into an obsession and we can find ourselves completely out of balance.
Ok, let’s stop stressing about productivity and put into perspective some misconceptions about being productive.
You Need to Do Everything
Yes, I know! As an entrepreneur you believe you should wear many hats and should do it all. After all, we are superheroes right? We started this, we can do it.
But, think about this: If your son wants to play baseball, you might have played in your youth as well and might know the basics but you don’t master the skills to teach him. So, instead, you let someone else take over the job for you.
The same applies to your business. If you’re not a graphic designer, let someone else take over, someone who 1. knows how to do it better and faster, 2. will enjoy the task. Are you spending too much time on admin tasks? This is not what will bring revenue to your business, so delegate the tasks to an assistant.
Learn what the priorities are and focus on the tasks that you should absolutely do in a day.
Put Your Head Down and Do the Work
You know all you need to do in order to #getthingsdone.
You turn off your notifications, you don’t check your social media every half hour, you use the Pareto Principle 80/20 Rule, and so on. And you put your head down and get to work
The problem with this method is that research shows that attempting to triumph over an ever-expanding to-do list actually works against us.
Being busy is not the same as being productive. It is, in fact, a false sense of accomplishment.
If your main purpose is to attain results, you can prioritize tasks and implement systems to streamline your business. Focus on your objectives and use your time productively.
Research shows that attempting to triumph over an ever-expanding to-do list actually works against us
Sleeping Less Means More Productive Hours
We hear many successful entrepreneurs saying they only sleep 4-6 hours a day. And while some find it possible to perform well after little sleep, this is not a rule.
I, for sure, feel the difference when I sleep 8 hours compared to 4 hours.
If you’ve ever nodded off at your desk or during an important meeting, you know that sleep loss can directly impact your performance.
Sleep deprivation can leave you feeling tired, less creative, and more difficult to stay focused.
When you sleep less in order to work more, you’ll become less productive and then you have to make up for the lost time, just to start all over again.
You might also struggle to make decisions and may be more likely to make mistakes.
When you achieve better quality and quantity sleep, you will feel the difference in your productivity level.
Saying Yes to All Opportunities
One thing that successful people have in common is they know to say NO.
The majority of us say yes to any opportunity we get, after all we do not like to disappoint others. The problem is that with each opportunity you choose has a certain time commitment.
You need to be careful not to end up trapped with no time or energy for yourself and unable to give your best to a commitment.
Here is how to break this cycle:
The next time you are presented with an opportunity, consider these two things:
- Your desire to put in the work
- The impact of the opportunity
To make good decisions about what to say no to, you need a clear idea of your own priorities.
Consider the direct impact that certain choices will have in your happiness.
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Final Thoughts
These are just some common misconceptions that people have about getting things done. Improving productivity is an important business goal, and you should focus on your goals and the purpose of your work instead of just being busy.
I can’t say this enough. Being busy is frantic, while being productive is focused.
The key to productivity is for you to find what works for you and take action.
Did you start your business so you could work day and night?
Create a plan. Define your priorities. Put systems and processes in place. Delegate tasks that eat away your time and energy.
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About Me
Hi, I'm Bianca!
I’m a productivity specialist helping overworked and overwhelmed entrepreneurs ditch the long and repetitive to-do list by optimizing systems and simplifying the way they run their business. Learn how to get rid of steps or tasks that don’t contribute to your business bottom line.
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