As we build a sustainable life, we need to be productive.
Enjoying deep work, getting “chores” completed, and having time for the things that matter to us.
The challenge is ensuring we feel productive and not busy.
Productive is accomplishment.
Busy creates anxiety and has limited accomplishment.
We can have a lot going on and see the time as productive, not busy.
Recognizing the difference and understanding how to stay productive is key.
My Perspective
Over the years, I’ve tried many approaches to solve for busyness and stay in the productive zone.
There are three dimensions that I believe are at the core – energy, attention, and boundaries.
Understanding and managing our energy is the first step.
We can learn when we are at our best for different types of activities.
I explored this concept in this post.
From there we can work on our attention.
Understanding what keeps and steals our attention and techniques that help us focus.
The final dimension is boundaries and knowing how to set limits on how much we can take on.
Having a strong sense of what we can do well and fit into our life without stress.
When these three areas of self-awareness and habits work together, we can find ourselves cycling out of the world of busy and into productive sustainability.
Your Turn
Do you more often feel productive or busy?
Which of the three areas – energy, attention, or boundaries – do you struggle with the most?
Is there something you could do today to become more self-aware of your triggers in that area?