Busy vs Productive

Today the kids were taking their sweet time getting ready and somehow even though they woke up late we made it right on time. We got everything that normally takes us one hour done in under 30 minutes - breakfast included.

There have been times where I have stayed so busy and still did not get much done. There have also been times that I was productive yet did not feel busy at all. According to the book 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins (which I love and recommend to all of my clients), this phenomenon is called Parkinson's Law which basically states that "work expands to fill the amount of time given to it" or in my words it will take as long as you allow it to take.


Some of us keep busy to avoid doing the things that we no longer have the motivation to do. Here is the thing; you don't need motivation and somedays you won't have it but getting into the next level in any area of your life does not require motivation - required discipline. Doing the thing you said you were going to do long after you feel like it. 
Here are a couple of tips for being productive and efficient instead of busy:


1. Have a hard stop quitting time (this will make you use your time smarter) 
2. Have a "NO" work allowed day (for me is Sundays) 
3. Manage your distractions (it is impossible to prevent them but managing them is a must)
4. Work out (it is extremely important to get your body moving to get your mind sharp) 
5. Sleep hygiene (sleeping better makes your body better which makes your brain better) 
6. Putting shoes on (having shoes on makes you 25% more productive according to a few studies on embodied cognition)
7. Create a 10-minute task list (a list of everything that takes you 10 minutes or less and tackle them when you have little breaks in your day) 

Email me at rebeca@rebecalima.coach and let me know how these tips work out for you!