Productivity is not about doing more of what you do not want. Productivity is not about activities. Productivity is about values. It is about focusing on what is really important you.
No matter how busy you are, if what you are doing is not what you are supposed to be doing, it is like doing nothing. You are busy, but you are not adding value to your life. You are busy doing things, but you are not living.
When it comes to work, progress keeps you going. It keeps you alive.
Being busy is the opposite of what you want. Being busy is not being productive. Being busy keeps you stuck. It takes away your freedom. Because you are always doing, but not getting better. You are always doing, but not growing. You are always doing , but you are where you are.
If you want to really make progress, if you want to be productive, according to John Caunt, ‘Identifying the reasons why you are currently not as organized as you might wish.’ Growth comes from doing the things that you are supposed to be doing. If something is not adding value to your life, you have got to stop it.
‘Don’t allow postponed tasks to build up a head of stream to the point where they become even more difficult to tackle.’ How do you do that? Start by doing what is important to you. Do what is important to your organization. If it is not, then forget about it.
‘Be aware of the way your time is currently spent.’ How you use your time matters. If something is not going to help you get what you want, don’t worry about it. Instead, focus on what is important to you, not what is against you.
‘Work to reduce procrastination.’ Procrastination is a cancer. It is a dream killer. It keeps you stuck. Procrastination is not the problem. The problem is fear. We procrastinate because we don’t want to do the work. That is not good. Because if you don’t do the work, you won’t be able to get anything done.
‘Don’t waste your time trying to gear up for a long-slot task when you only have a short-slot available.’ You can fix this. Don’t take on more than you can do. Before you take on anything, check yourself. Ask yourself, ‘Do I have time for this?’ If you don’t, don’t do it.
‘Change the environment in which those habits you wish to change currently flourish.’ Change is tough. If where you are right now is not supporting your dreams, change it.
‘Recognize those tasks which place the greatest demands on you and schedule them when you are at your most energetic.’ If you a morning person, get to work. If you a night person, then do your work in the night. The point is: Do what works for you.
‘Don’t overcommit yourself.’ Overcommitment can lead to confusion. If something is not worth your energy, stay away from it. Don’t do anything to impress people. Do things because they speak to your values. If you do things to impress people, you are going to be exhausted. If that is what you want, that is okay. If you can handle it, that is also okay. But if that is not what you want, you have got to stay grounded in your values.
‘Free yourself from the belief that you have to be constantly connected if you want to work efficiently.’ If you want to stay in the game, you need to rest yourself. You are a human being, not a robot. If you are tired, rest.
‘Be clear about what you are trying to achieve in your day.’ Plan your day. Work your day. Focus on difference makers, not on time wasters. If you want to get results, start in the morning.
Source
John Caunt (2022). How to Organize Yourself: Simple Ways to Take Control, Save Time and Work More Efficiently
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