Ep#39 Why you need to stop trying to be more productive
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There are more than 60 000 books written on the subject of productivity on Amazon. And the chase for being more productive has created an entire industry of getting stuff done.
Think about all the planners, productivity apps, courses and so on that you can buy on this subject!
According to google and the definition of productivity, it basically means to produce. But productivity has morphed into this mad race to get more done, to produce more, do more but in less time.
It’s all about squeezing as much as we possibly can into less and less time.
TALK ABOUT PRESSURE!!
Think about this for a minute. We see how much we have to do, then we decide we need to do it in a specific time, and then we do our best to do it as fast as possible so that we can get it done. Bonus points if we have time left at the end of it…because then we can use that time to cram some other things in there as well.
If you’re an overachiever then you probably do this very naturally. You get a ton of stuff DONE and checked off the list.
But if you’ve been awake to your life for at least a minute you also know that this time you free up is quickly filled with more things to do.
DOING MORE, Faster, doesn’t lead to more time. Calmer, more balanced. it simply leads to more space for more things to do.
This is the productivity trap.
Doing more faster just so that we can do more faster.
There are three problems with being more productive:
1. Doing more doesn’t mean you’re actually achieving more. - think about checking off every single item on your to-do list, and creating new things to do in your business, but those things aren’t actually connected to any real objective or strategy. You know you’re doing this when you’re super busy, but you have nothing to show for it. You’re exhausted but you aren’t seeing any true progress.
2. The more we do, the more we tend to do. This creates this cycle of doing doing doing and it leads straight to burnout street. This is also one of the reasons I believe why we are scared of doing less is because we tend to think that if we do less, we’ll do less and eventually do nothing. But doing less with intention and purpose actually helps you to achieve bigger, and get bigger results because there is purpose and meaning behind every single thing you spend your time on.
3. The more we do, the more we tend to do leads to a slippery slope of thinking that the more we achieve the more fulfilled we’ll feel. We’re constantly chasing a goal because we think we’ll feel happy once we have it. We connect it with our own self-worth instead of looking at the goal as an opportunity to grow and become a better version of ourselves
So what do you do instead?
Understand It’s not about doing MORE.
It’s about doing what matters and BEING intentional with your time. BEING REALLY clear on what you want to achieve. And why that is important to you.
In the book Essentialism by Joshua Fields Milburn, he explains that the most successful CEOs remove things from their calendar, they are constantly reducing the number of things they are focusing on and giving their time to. WHY? Because when we focus on what REALLY matters, what truly moves the needle forward, that’s when we make progress.
And if you’re making progress on the goals that matter to you then you will feel happy, and you will feel fulfilled.
Driving my kids around between soccer practice and ballet lessons doesn’t really feel essential to my life but it needs to happen…but if you change your perspective from I am merely the chauffeur in this situation to I get precious time to connect with them and ask them how their day was or what they think about this or that…it changes the meaning behind that commute.
So your challenge this week is to look at everything on your to-do list and ask yourself whether those things are contributing to the life you want to create for yourself.
I am glad you made it to the end mama because I am on day 4 of my 30 days to more time and balance series on Instagram and Tik Tok
And there’s still time for you to get in on the action! Head over to IG or Tik Tok and FOLLOW me so that you can see these videos on your feed! I am sharing a daily 60-second video on feeling less overwhelmed, less stressed, and creating more time freedom, and balance in your life as a mom and entrepreneur.
Alright, mama! I’ll see you there!
Have an amazing week!
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
30 Days to more time and balance as a mom entrepreneur series
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👉 on Tik Tok
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