Productive vs Busy: Making The Best Use Of Your Time

Much may be done in those little shreds and patches of time which every day produces, and which most men throw away.
-Charles Caleb Colton
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I am not a fan of idle time. I am a multi-tasker by nature, and actually enjoy being productive every possible second of the day. This is less out of the idea that there is “too much to do, too little time”… and more a result of habits picked up during years of necessity.

Being a single mother, having a special needs child, managing a business from home while managing a home at the same time – I imagine you can relate. During these phases of life we have a choice of either getting frustrated, or getting through it. Usually we start with the first, but end up achieving the second

Those habits of productivity stuck with me, even after achieving more flexibility and a more comfortable lifestyle. I’m glad for that actually, and consider adversity to be something we can embrace as a turning point for positive change.

I’ve turned into that type of person that wipes down the bathroom counter while I’m brushing my teeth. Listens to audio books while driving. Reads during commercial breaks. And if you invite me out on a dinner date, I’ll likely bring a how-to non-fiction book along. After all, you may have to take a restroom break… and I’m no thumb-twiddler. (I’m exaggerating, I promise)

I also enjoy plenty of down time, too. Movies, lunches, naps, reading outdoors in nice weather, etc. Its all about balance.

It’s important to note though, that there is a huge difference in being productive – and being busy. You can stay busy every waking minute, but not achieve anything particularly productive. We should all take stock every now and then to keep yourself on track and moving in a positive direction (or moving at all, outside of moving in circles)…

This quote says it best:

The core of productivity is self-knowledge, which is emotional intelligence.

You have to know what you want most in order to know what to do first, and you have to know your goals before you can productively meet them.

Source: Five Steps to Being More Productive

There are some excellent productivity tips in that article. I would highly recommend that you read it during commercial breaks, at traffic lights or while you are brushing your teeth. Whenever you can.

Best,

Tags: multi-tasking, productivity, idle time, perfectionist, time management

Category: Coffee Break! · Work at Home