We live in a world where being “busy” is considered to be a sign of success.  However, what are we busy doing?  

Henry David Thoreau put it this way, “It is not enough to be busy, so are the ants.  The question is:  What are we busy about?”

Instead of being busy try to be more productive.  Here are a few adjustments anyone can make to increase productivity.

Stack Habits - Habit stacking is when you take a new behavior and pair it with something you already do consistently.  This approach makes it easier to create a new habit and ultimately reach your goals.  I recently did this by stacking my workouts (existing habits) with an ice bath (new habit).  I was surprised on how simple it was to maintain my new habit, which now has become part of my daily routine. 

Manage Time Effectively - Managing time effectively is important if you want to be productive.  I personally prefer time blocking.  Whenever I have a deadline or know I need to get something done I will block time on my calendar that I can dedicate to whatever needs completed.  As I always say, manage your priorities and not your calendar.  Time blocking allows me to do just that.

Be Accountable - If you have trouble holding yourself accountable there are a few things you can do to help yourself out.  First, enlist an accountability buddy.  By sharing y our goal with someone you will raise the likelihood that you will succeed by more than 50%.  If you meet with this person on a regular basis to check in on your progress the probability of success skyrockets to 95%.  Another good technique to keep yourself on track is to publicly share your goals, and provide regular updates on your progression. 

Delegate Tasks - If you are on a team then make sure you are delegating work to best suit the skills of everyone on your team.  Recently at work we all took a simple test called “Working Genius”.  It was an easy way to understand each of our unique gifts and what we enjoy doing.  This allowed us to focus on building a team with complementary skill sets so that everyone can spend more time doing things they enjoy.

Don’t Procrastinate - I find that at times people tend keep themselves “busy” just to avoid doing the things that really need to get done.  Maybe this is because the task is hard, or just not enjoyable.  If you want to be productive then you need to stop procrastinating and take action.  Starting is always the hardest part.

So this week stop being busy and start being productive.  Not only will you accomplish more, but you will also find more fulfillment and joy in your work.  

Welcome to the Limitless Podcast with Nathan Jovanelly.  Thanks for tuning in.