It’s the end of a long and extremely busy day. You look at the list of things you’ve done at the end of the day but still feel like you didn’t accomplish anything. Do you find yourself in this scenario often? If you do, then although you may be extremely busy, you may not be productive. You may be accomplishing a lot of tasks, but it may not be sending you towards the right direction.
Switch your focus from being busy to being productive, so that you can accomplish more, see tangible results, and have time for fun.
Don’t Aim for Busy, Aim For Productive
How? By understanding the difference between the two.
Here are the 6 Major Differences Between Busy People and Productive People:
Priorities
Busy People have many priorities.
Productive People have very few priorities. Their mission is clearly defined and they put their energy on the few items that will bring them the biggest results.
Yes Vs. No
Busy People say Yes quickly.
Productive People say Yes slowly. They don’t commit to anything that steers them away from their mission and goals.
Handling of Actions
Busy People focus on actions and checking things off of their To-Do list.
Productive People focus on clarity before action and have very few things on their To-Do list.
Multi-Task vs Focus
Busy People are always multi-tasking.
Productive People don’t multi-task but focus on one course until completion.
Email Management
Busy People respond quickly to emails.
Productive People don’t allow emails to determine their priorities. They don’t allow other people to manage their day and are not distracted by the incoming email alerts.
A Question they Ask Themselves
Busy People ask, “What else can I add?”
Productive People ask, “What else can I remove?” At the beginning of the day, they determine what needs to be their most important tasks of the day, in line with their goals. Then, throughout the day, they take time to review their priorities and eliminate or delegate anything that doesn’t align with their vision.
Review the differences once more. What can you do differently today that will change how you view being busy? What do you think you can change today to be more productive?