One of the most valuable lessons of 2020 was knowing that life moves forward even when I slow down.
This is what I mean by that…
Often times I would get so caught up in my schedule, my to-do list, and making sure I produce those checkmarks. When in reality I was more focused on staying busy to make myself feel productive than I was productive. I pushed myself to believe that by staying busy I was achieving, yet I was often tired, even exhausted at times with nothing to show. Enter COVID and the quarantine which caused my life, just like many others to slow down, to cut back, and to pause. It was during quarantine that I realized so much of what was on my plate had little to no value to my productivity, yet I was exerting energy, focus, and even emotions to complete it. I learned that life continues with or without my busyness. So instead of overwhelming my already busy plate of tasks with more useless tasks, I have been more intentional about what’s important and whether it’s worthy of getting on my task list.
One of my favorite authors, bloggers, and speakers, Seth Godin, shared this:
Everyone who wants to be busy is busy.
But not everyone is productive.
Busy is simply a series of choices about how to spend the next minute.
Productive requires skill, persistence, and good judgment. Productive means that you have created something of value.
Perhaps your self-created busy-ness is causing you to be less productive.
Today, I am very selective about my tasks, my productivity, and my busyness. I am more intentional and focused. Is your busy-ness leading to productivity or more stress?