It’s the moment of truth!
Are you busy?
If you’re honest, then it’s a yes.
In our world today, being busy seems like an accomplishment. You’re getting things done, and there’s a soothing feeling that comes with it.
Here’s the thing; being busy does not translate to productivity. It’s the opposite.
Sometimes, busyness comes from a place of fear — you don’t want to be seen as lazy.
Let’s face it; everyone wants to be seen as the workaholic, the Elon Musk, or the next Obama.
Constant working and grinding lead to anxiety, burnout, and illness. You’d age faster and become less resistant to cold.
News Flash: You get nothing done when you’re stressed out and sick.
The secret ingredient to peak productivity lies in the very thing we all dread — slowing down.
In a recent piece by New York Times, a contributor shared a story that shows the importance of doing nothing.
Yes, you gain a lot by being idle!
When you’re idle, you let your mind wander and connect with infinite creative sources.
This way, you come up with better solutions to your problems.
Research has shown that idleness is a creative recipe and an excellent productivity tool.
If you’re a busy person, and you’d love to be more productive, here are a couple of tips to help you slow down.
First, you should reverse engineer your life.
Here’s how it’s done…
Pick someone you admire and study their life.
If you’re a career person, you can pick the alpha in your industry and know the nitty-gritty of the person’s daily routine.
Aside from reverse engineering, you can also use the Pareto Analysis.
Pareto analysis merely shows you how to focus on what’s important. 80% of your results and accomplishment is as a result of 20% of your actions.
Imagine how much you could accomplish when you focus more on 20% action that yields the most results.
Other ways of boosting your productivity include…
Focus on the now
When you’re out taking the early morning coffee, focus on the moment.
Cherish your first sip. Notice the color of the window, and quietly observe how the coffee settles in the cup.
Don’t read your email, scroll through your social media profile, or perform any action with your smartphone.
Leave the smartphone and be present at the moment. Notice the world around you and value your peace.
Use the old school pen and paper
If you’re a person that brainstorms a lot, then you should switch to the pen and paper mode.
There’s a unique creative juice that gets activated when you use a pen and paper.
Transferring the sketch to your laptop opens a window of creativity.
It’s an excellent alternative for folks who would love to get more creative insights.
Carve out time for nothing
Let’s face it; there’s always something to do. Even in your busy schedule, you should create time for nothing.
You should create time to think, listen to your inner voice, and observe the beauty of nature.
When you create time for things which are of great importance to you, you will tend to be more focused on the essential things in life.
Lose the guilt feeling
Learn to be comfortable with the idea of slowing down.
Fight the guilt feeling!
Remember that vacations, short breaks, and idleness can be great productivity hacks.