Some can’t distinguish between being busy and being productive. They are human windmills, flailing at work, but actually accomplishing little. – Caroline Donnelly
Often it is very difficult to tell the difference between being busy and being productive. On the surface they can appear much the same. Whether you are rushing or focusing, surrounded by chaos or organization, never finish anything or are triumphantly checking tasks off with a righteous pen. Even if you are constantly busy; if you don’t accomplish anything then you are not productive.
People can keep themselves busy in many ways; spending all their time organizing and preparing ( some is good – too much is bad), talking on the phone , buried in email, visiting with people, surfing the internet or haunting social media outlets, dealing with other people’s problems, etc. However, indiscriminate, even scheduled busyness can often lead to frustration and feeling ineffectual if you are busying yourself with things that aren’t really important.
A great question to ask yourself is:
Are the items on your task list bringing you closer to achieving your most important goals?
If not, then take a really careful look at why you are still doing it! Being truly productive does not involve just checking things off your list or always getting a lot done. It involves pinpointing and completing the specific tasks or projects that will get you where you really want to go. If you want to maximize your success and get the most bang for your buck time-wise, then make sure that you are not wasting time on useless busyness.
