308 – How to Be Productive

Today I want to talk about being productive. The problem is that sometimes people think that being busy makes them productive. That couldn't be farther from the truth--sometimes, the less you do, the more productive you are.

Some people make endless to do lists. They're trying so hard to get so much done. They're being pulled in too many different directions. They end up going too fast and having to retrace their steps. They end up completely overwhelmed. Sometimes the lists get so long that you're not really getting anything done. You're just running around like a chicken with its head cut off. You're not truly productive because you're not making the best use of your time and effort.

What I would suggest is that you make a list of only three things you want to get done every day. A lot of successful, busy people I've interviewed do this. Start your day with a list of three things you need to do. More things will pop up during the day--maybe you get an email you have to respond to, or some other task needs your immediate attention. Your business is dynamic and it's changing every day. Keep your list of goals short so you don't get overwhelmed as more things pop up. And if nothing at all comes up, great! You have an uneventful day and you can start looking ahead to tomorrow's goals.

Don't think that being busy and running around all day means you're productive. Make sure you're not so overloaded and frazzled that you're really not the best you that you can be at work. Make sure you're making efficient use of your time and effort, and allow flexibility in your schedule to handle anything that might come up.