To Be Truly Productive

Have you ever had a workday when you did a lot but you wondered what you really had achieved?

Are you trying to find a work/life balance?

Do you find it hard sometimes to manage your time well?

If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, you might relate to the following statement made by a coaching client.

“There’s no space for me to think or to be creative because I have to look busy all day.”

This makes me think of an image of someone holding a tea cup and filling it after every sip.

A few years ago I was in a manager position in a global company. The story I had been telling myself for so long in the name of career success was to put off being happy until my work was done, projects finished, team members motivated, clients satisfied, the list went on. The more I added on my “to-do” list, the less I played and the more I noticed symptoms of stress and imbalance in my life. My days were filled but I wasn’t feeling fulfilled.

Then it dawned on me. Maybe it wasn’t an either or thing - work or life? Maybe the way to life balance wasn’t about work and life but consciously working in my life?

So, I started to literally schedule in appointments with my self. I made time for activities that related to what mattered most to me – personal training sessions, ballroom dancing classes, committee meetings for a volunteer organization, social activities, and yes even dating.

Here’s an amazing paradox.

During this same period, I was faced with unusual staff turnover and a number of other challenges resulting from broader organizational changes. And I had my best performance review, ever! My superiors recognized me for excellent team leadership and composure under pressure.

Here’s why.

The meaningful activities I pursued away from the workplace offered me space and allowed me to find perspective. I “emptied my cup” before I tried to fill it with more work. On the job, instead of placing my attention on what was immediately in front of me I could see underlying issues, prioritize better, and offer more solutions, in less time and with less stress.

Here’s what I’ve learned.

Time management and work/life balance are mislabeled problems. We can’t manage time and the Work “/” Life distinction creates a dilemma, not a recommendation for better balance.

Here’s a recommendatio

If I could show you simple ways to shift your life from stress-filled to joy-full, would you be interested?

One place to start is to look at what it means to be truly productive.

In the workplace, “productivity” is often defined in a limiting sense to “doing more.” Hence, the long task lists we often find ourselves trying to keep up with; it’s like filling our tea cups after each sip. We can all appreciate how we can be very active sometimes and yet feel unproductive.

A better definition might be: to make meaningful progress towards a clear goal that you consider significant.

Now, how each of us defines the words I put italics will be different. What we will all experience is how good it feels to be productive.

It feels so good because in the process what you are doing in an immediate context is making use of your knowledge and skills in a way that furthers what you hold to be important and expresses who you are in line with your purpose. In other words, what you achieve by your activity enhances YOU on so many levels.

When we spend more clock time on what is most important, most satisfying and worthy of our commitment and effort, we are productive.

You need space to reflect and prioritize. Make it possible to take time away from your work. (This isn't just for those occupying corporate cubicles, I still remind myself to get out of my home office.)

1. If timed slowed right down for you right now what else might you notice about your current situation?

2. What is most important?

3. In what ways do the activities you are doing match what matters most to you?

4. How are you using skills and knowledge to make meaningful progress towards a clear goal that you consider significant – professionally, socially, and personally?nn