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The (not so BIG) Productivity Secret

Marcos Lopez /

 

Being busy and being productive are two very different things. In fact, many times the two are a direct contradiction with one another.

Many of us find ourselves making lists of all the things we need to get done and simply check off the items that are easy (being busy), but not the things that are most important and critical to success (being productive).  So what’s the secret – well, in my experience and that of many of my peers – it’s very simply making a decision to “eat the frog”.  Eating the frog being defined as taking the action that scares you or makes you a bit uncomfortable.  Those actions – including making that important phone call that may just yield a “no” response, writing the first word of the new novel or next blog post, having that difficult conversation with a colleague, employee or employer.

Making conscious efforts throughout the day to be less passive and much more deliberate, selective and strategic about how you spend the next 2 minutes, and then the next two, and so forth – is what will by definition cause you to create an output that is much more satisfying and fulfilling than simply starting from the ‘easy’ bottom of the prioritized list of tasks and obligations.

I learned early on in my sales career, that the most productive and successful people do the things that others are afraid to, or simply refuse to do.   Begin by training yourself to activate the muscles that force you to do the important, difficult and most impactful work first…the alternative, frankly, is a very effective way of keeping you static.

 

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