Increase Productivity: Five
Powerful Actions
How can you make the best use of your energy to increase productivity
each day? Here are five actions that can increase
productivity and leave energy to spare. They will also
help you to achieve more balance between your work and
personal life.
The key to increased productivity is to focus on
managing actions and energy rather than time. I am
going to refer to time as energy because using time
always involves energy expenditure. Investing your
energy wisely will provide you with additional energy in
return.
1. Manage actions and priorities.
Time management is action-management. Think of time
as physical and mental energy that you expend through
actions. The feeling of "no time" can arise from too
many priorities or unclear priorities. Neglected
self-care can also leave one feeling unable to complete
necessary tasks. Begin your day knowing exactly what you
intend to do. Outlining the day on paper each morning is
a great action-management technique.
What must you do before you can use your
time-energy more efficiently?
2. Keep skills sharpened.
Keeping your skills sharpened will result in more
productivity. A client complained that he did not have
time to complete his college reading assignments. I soon
learned that it took this student 10 minutes to read
something that his 15-year old sister could read in 3
minutes! His problem was not time; it was the need to
improve reading skills.
"I don't have time," is a common phrase that we've
all used without giving it much thought. But what does
it really mean? Time excuses signal (1) other
priorities, (2) the need for action management, (3) the
need for organization, (4) the need for physical or
mental energy, or (5) the need to sharpen a skill.
Sharp skills allow completion of more actions with
less effort. Sharpen fundamental skills frequently. Take
courses that will keep you up to date with the latest
information in your career. Routine skill sharpening in
all aspects of life is a wise energy-management choice.
Personal skills and career skills will often overlap,
affecting productivity in both these areas.
What skills could you sharpen that would create
more time-energy and productivity?
3. Focus purposefully.
Feelings of time scarcity crop up when thoughts or
actions do not pertain to the purpose at hand. Actions
that are off purpose do not support one's values or
goals. Up goes stress; down goes productivity.
Purposeful focus allows a sense of urgency without
creating negative stress.
Create daily reminders to check your focus and
action-priorities. Many reminder services are available
without cost. Establish firm boundaries to prevent
energy-consuming distractions. Be assertive to maintain
those boundaries.
What distractions could you remove that would help
to maintain a purposeful focus?
4. Stay flexible and ask for help.
Urgency is not inflexibility. Flexible plans allow
for interruptions, schedule changes, and unforeseen
events that you cannot control.
Flexibility also allows you to accept help from
others. Attempting to do everything alone can create an
energy imbalance in both your personal life and career.
Act on your strengths and ask for qualified help with
those things you cannot handle alone.
What thoughts or attitudes can you change to
become more flexible, balanced, and productive?
5. Act decisively.
Act decisively on the commitments you make to your
goals. All the pieces are rarely in place when starting
something new. There will always be more to learn.
Over-analysis and waiting for the perfect moment can
obstruct a successful launch. Fears of either success or
failure can hold you back.
Acknowledge fears and look past them to see the
rewards of your actions. Move through fear by the power
of faith in your purpose. Build momentum and keep
learning as you move forward.
What could you accomplish if you made the
commitment to begin today?
An Exercise to Increase Productivity
Begin by writing each productivity tip on a sheet of
paper. Under each one, write down ways you have used
this or a similar idea in the past. What were the
results, and what would you do differently this time?
Keep these questions in mind also: "What shows up
when I manage my actions appropriately? Where do I waste
the most time-energy, and why? What is the payoff when I
waste energy and perceive a lack of time? What has
robbed me of productive energy in the past?"
Increase Productivity
Next, you will be thinking of five ways you can
become more productive. Write your best answer to the
question at the end of each productivity tip. Then write
down a way you could apply each of the five actions to
your current situation.
Keep these questions in mind also: "When I become as
productive as I would like to be, what will be my
reward? How could I increase my level of self-care to
increase my productivity? What things need less
attention and more attention in my life at this time?"
The five actions in this article will require ongoing
effort. The way you answer these questions will change
over time. However, you will find the results
worthwhile. Begin taking action now, and you will
increase productivity with extra time-energy to spare.
© Copyright 2005 by Steve Brunkhorst. Steve is
a professional life success coach, motivational author,
and the editor of Achieve! 60-Second Nuggets of
Inspiration, a popular mini-zine bringing great
stories, motivational nuggets, and inspiring thoughts to
help you achieve more in your career and personal life.
Get the next issue by visiting
http://www.AchieveEzine.com
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