3 Disciplines For Being Productive Versus Busy
“Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There is plenty of movement but you never know if it is going forward, backward or sideways.”
-H. Jackson Brown
Me: “Hey Laura. How are things going?”
Laura: “It’s been a busy week Dave. I’ve been running non-stop since Monday.”
I always want to surround myself with talented high-energy people. These people energize me. But, they can also wear me out. Why? Because many believe that doing a lot of STUFF makes a difference.
Busy Bee
I don’t care if you do a lot of stuff unless it moves the ball down the field. Anyone can fill time with activities that make them busy. I want people who are productive.
4 Traits of Productive People Versus Busy People
1. Productive People Are More Efficient
I can always count on a productive person to get things done. If they say “Yes” to a task, I know it has become a priority. I trust their ability to prioritize and believe in their ability to accomplish things in a timely manner.
2. Productive People Are More Relaxed
Productive people seem like they are in control. Busy people seem to be controlled by everything BUT themselves. They can never relax. They complain about lack of sleep and often wish they had more time for everything.
3. Productive People Are More Flexible
Productive people are able to adjust their day for emerging priorities. Sometimes, when I ask a busy person to do something simple, they over-react. The possibility of adding anything to their “to do list” makes their head explode.
4. Productive People Have More Time For Others
Productive people are comfortable to be around. Busy people always seem like they are late for their next appointment. It seems the people they are with do not hold the same interest for them as the people they are about to be with.
3 Disciplines For Being Productive Versus Busy
1. Productive People Prioritize
If everything is a priority, then nothing is. I had to discipline myself to prioritize my tasks and thus prioritize my time.
If I am going to add something to my “to do” list, then I must take something off of it. If the thing I am about to add is not more important than something already on my list, then it does not get added.
2. Productive People Know Themselves
“What am I good at doing? What do I enjoy doing? What things can only I do?” I have learned to look at myself and know the answers to these three questions. If I am not good at it, don’t enjoy it, or someone else could be doing it, then as a leader, I need to get it off my plate.
There are always some tasks I have to do that I don’t enjoy. For me, I try to get them out of the way first thing in the day. It is a mental game I play with myself so that the things I see as drudgery are not hanging over my head any longer than necessary.
I also know what time of day I am most creative. I do most of my writing in the mornings. I am most creative and refreshed then. I block out my afternoons for appointments and phone calls because people give me energy.
3. Productive People Say “No”
This is a tough discipline for those of us who are “pleasers”. I like to make people happy so I have to pay special attention and say “No” when I am asked to add things that do not move me closer to my goals.
Someone else’s urgency does not make their task my priority. As a leader, I have learned to ask the right questions. A person’s urgent situation is usually the result of his own poor planning or procrastination.
Should I blow up my day to fix their problems? Sometimes I say “yes” based on the size of the need. But, usually I say “no”.
If we always bail people out when they don’t plan or procrastinate, they will never understand the consequences of those actions and never change. I will be busy because of their poor habits and my inability to say “No”.
(Side Note)
It is a great discipline I have used with my kids as well. If they forgot their homework at home and call from school, I am not taking an hour of time away from what I need to accomplish to make up for their poor planning.
The Bottom Line:
Too often, I have settled for being busy. It is very easy to be busy. Being busy is a habit and so is being productive. I have to decide to work at productivity rather than slide into busyness. Each time I make those decisions I am forming new habits that will make me more productive.
The disciplines I work on consistently are prioritizing, knowing myself, and saying “No”. I find the better I am at these disciplines, the more productive I am.
Ironically, the main thing that prevents me from moving from busyness into productivity is laziness.
Question:
What prevents you from being more productive?
Dave,
Nice article. Clear and concise. Great to share with colleagues and new staff.
Thanks Evan! That is always my goal. I want people to feel like they get utility out of what they read here. The more people pass on these blogs, the more I know I am meeting my goals!
Dave,
I’d love to reply but I’m too busy so I apologize for having to say “no” to providing a review.
That was funny!
Hello Dave,
What prevents me from being more productive?
Doing other colleagues work because they are too ‘busy’.
Because I display the traits of a ‘productive’ person I am regularly expected to perform tasks that my ‘busy’ colleagues cannot possibly complete as they are too busy.
My point is, managers need to be aware that this is happening. At appraisal time they should ensure that their ‘productive’ staff have these extra duties (obstacles) taken into account when determining their final rating.
Cheryll
Great point Cheryll. It is both up to the manager and to the person doing the extra work to communicate on these things throughout the year. Unfortunately there have been times that I was unaware of situations like you described. When I was told of the disparity, I was able to coach the underperforming staff member and make changes as needed in both ratings and responsibilities.
Be careful in these situations though. Come to the supervisor with solutions to the issue and not just problems. Add value to your supervisor and make him/her better and you will be more valuable than ever to the team.