Being Busy Vs Being Productive

Most people aim to be more productive in both their personal and professional lives. And why wouldn’t they? Daily productivity inevitably leads to future success. Sometimes however, it’s hard to distinguish between feeling busy and actually getting things accomplished. Some people appear to be constantly busy. But is all of that busyness a good indicator of productivity and success? Read on for a few of the major differences between being busy and being productive so you can get the most out of your time:

Being busy vs. being productive:

Multitasking / Focusing

Busy people often try to multitask. In working on several things at once, no one task gets their full attention, and quality can suffer. On the other hand, productive people prioritize their tasks and focus on one at a time. This allows for more focus and attention to be given to each task and often produces a better result.

Saying yes / Saying “no”

Productive people know when to turn down certain opportunities or tasks so that they can focus their energy on their priorities. Busy people often don’t know when to say no, and they tend to take on too many projects at once.

Immediate action / Thoughtful action

Busy people tend to focus on taking action, while productive individuals think things over more carefully to gain clarity before acting.

Vague mission / Clear goals

People that are chronically busy may appear to have a mission, but they often run in circles instead of making forward progress. Productive people have done the hard work of defining their goals, and they know the daily steps they need to take to reach them.

4 tips to be more productive:

1. Eat the frog

It’s easy to become busy with other tasks when you’re procrastinating or avoiding a difficult task. Instead of postponing challenging tasks, prioritize them. “Eating the frog” means dealing with the dreaded or difficult task first, so that the rest of your to-do list will seem easy to complete in comparison. It’s a great way to harness your energy before it gets diminished throughout the day, and it gives you an added boost of motivation when you’ve completed something early on in your day.

2. Set S.M.A.R.T. goals

People who are busy are often pulled in different directions and feel out of control of their own progress. People who are dedicated to being productive work at creating the right kind of goals (S.M.A.R.T.: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound). They then set aside time daily to review them, outlining the necessary steps to get where they want to go.

3. Stop multitasking

It’s tempting to try to multitask when faced with strict deadlines and a bunch of tasks on your plate. You might be swayed to want to conduct an important phone call while typing out a text to your friend, all while having lunch. When we do these kinds of things simultaneously, we’re often slower and less efficient. Either the quality declines or the speed at which we work declines. Rather than succumbing to the illusionary idea of multitasking, start by focusing on one thing exclusively so that you can accomplish it faster and more thoroughly.

4. Take breaks

“Don’t just sit there, do something!” Sound familiar? Often, our society stresses the value of being a hard worker with no idle time. However, when it comes to productivity levels, this may be misleading us. In fact, taking breaks has been proven to increase productivity and success overall. Working for short, concentrated intervals with frequent breaks in between (perhaps to eat, exercise, or nap) is more effective than long, drawn-out periods of work with no pause. By staying busy and avoiding breaks, you’re often contributing to your own burn out. You can work at being more productive by breaking up your work into powerful segments interrupted by short breaks.

Busy and productive don’t go hand in hand. A busy person works long, usually stressful days, and often is not productive. On the outside it may seem like they are hard workers committed to their success, but in reality, this is often a front for their disorganization or lack of prioritization. Why work 12-hour work days if you can do the same amount of quality work in less time? The goal is to work shorter, highly productive days. In this way, you can get more accomplished in a shorter amount of time and avoid wearing yourself out.

Credits: CREATIVERY

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