Welcome to July. As we find ourselves at the halfway point of 2023, how is it really going? If it were a subscription would you stay signed up?
It's a great time to reflect, reset and refocus our efforts. And I wanted to delve into the topic of productivity. Search "productivity" on Amazon and you get over 80,000 results. It's nothing new, we all whisper that we want to be more productive. But what does that really mean?
What is productivity anyway?
Is it about saving time?
Is it about getting more done in the time you have?
To me, productivity is about focusing on the right things.
Erm, ok Sian that just sounds like getting more sh** done 🙄
Let me try another way so we can dig a bit deeper. When we say we “want to be more productive”, what do we actually mean?
We want more tangible wins.
We want more results and impact.
We want more _______.
Am I right?
If you’re looking to increase your wins in the next thirty days, let's focus less on ticking things off and more on channeling your energy into highly leveraged activities. Here are some things for you to try out.
How to be more productive
Introducing the "Not To-Do" List
Start by creating a "not to do" list. This list will comprise activities that drain your time, energy, and resources without giving you meaningful results. Just don't do them and free up space for the right things. (I don't think the sky will fall).
Learning to Say No
Armed with your "not to do" list, it's crucial to learn when to say no. Remember, "no" is a complete sentence. I have literally done it myself, I've agreed to do three things this month already (it's only the 3rd) and I should have said no. I've only taken away space and time for the goals that really matter to me.
Don't underestimate rest
In the pursuit of productivity, don't neglect yourself. Just as we wouldn't allow our phone battery to reach 1%, we shouldn't let our body battery drain either. You're useless if your energy is in the gutter.
Be ruthlessly focussed
Remember the rule of "1, 2, 3 too many." Your daily to-do list shouldn't overwhelm you with an excessive number of tasks. Instead, identify the three most crucial items that align with your goals and focus on accomplishing them. Ruthlessly direct your energy and attention where it matters most.
Reflect
To stay on track and continuously improve, set a short and sweet a weekly review of wha you got done, what's not done and what you need to prioritise next. Reflecting even if for 15 minutes at the of a week will be total game-changer for to keep your focus aligned to your goals.
Are you willing to give these a go?
I'd love to hear your thoughts on productivity and which one of these you're going to commit to.
May the rest of your 2023 be productive and may you have more flow, ease and joy.
To your success,
Sian
PS If you want a short burst to help you get on track and get a proven productivity system so you know what to focus on for the next 30, 60 and 90 days in your business checkout the Coaching Experience.
