Busy Or Productive?

Some days I am end up wondering whether I am busy or productive.

Can you see the difference?

A zillion little tasks fill my day, along with the interruptions I have no control over. I am flooded with emails, phone calls, breaks I do not need, emergencies that were really not emergencies after the time had been wasted and heaven knows what else.

Do you go through this busy or productive dilemma?

I am sailing through days like these. So much to do, so little time, it seems. If only there were more hours in the day, I am thinking.

Obviously that’s not going to happen, so I must find a way to use my guaranteed credit of 86,400 seconds wisely.

Sadly while busy leaves me tired, it does not always mean I achieved what I meant to. Too often, I ended up spending time on unproductive things that kept me busy. Endless phone calls and visitors. Unwelcome repair work. Falling sick.

The irony is, this lulled me into a false sense of achievement that only resulted in stress and a solid waste of time. As though this was not enough, my to-do list seemed to have a mind of its own and kept growing.

Where to cut down? I am childish enough to adamantly want to go walk on my terrace even when it is raining heavily. That cold breeze is so refreshing! And the kites flying in the sky are infinitely more attractive than my computer screen. I refuse to say no when someone asks me for help. Somewhere in my mind, I am convinced I am superwoman. I am, right?

The problem is – I can’t seem to figure out how to prioritize as everything is moving to the emergency list.

I’ve barely managed to punch out a blog post every day before I shut down my computer and groaned when my back protested as I lay on my bed.

I am taking stock  at various points through the day. I am reflecting and re-prioritizing so that I can feel a real sense of achievement, which in turn, will help me be more productive. Then, I’ll celebrate what I did manage to achieve and use this energy to motivate me to continue to do it.

Oh yes, I will pause for a moment to think about who else was involved in helping me be more productive so I can thank them.

So it all boils down to setting priorities, remaining flexible and taking stock at the end of the day so I can strike that elusive balance between being busy and actually being productive.

Now, sustaining this is quite another matter.

Here’s my plan to tackle the busy or productive dilemma

I’ll set up priorities for tomorrow by listing all that I want to get accomplished
I’ll track my progress by sticking to this plan.
I’ll stay flexible – after all, there will be unexpected interruptions.. oh yes!.
I’ll make a note of these unexpected items that crop up during the day
I’ll especially note down the distractions that rob my time
At the end of the day, I’ll think back and celebrate what I accomplished
I’ll make a list of what didn’t/couldn’t get done today
I’ll make tomorrow’s list

For today, I am reflecting over

• whether I finished my day tired or rejuvenated
• ways to re-energize myself when I am tired at the end of the day
• how to find the time to reflect and evaluate the day
• the value of what I did today
• what I can do tomorrow to re-energize my life

I’ll keep my diary posted on my progress.

Oh, miles to go before I sleep.

“Once you have mastered time, you will understand how true it is that most people overestimate what they can accomplish in a year – and underestimate what they can achieve in a decade!”
– Tony Robbins

How are you managing your time?

I hope you’re taking the time to smile. ♥

Ultimate Blogging Challenge July 2014 Day 10

BlogHer NaBloPoMo July 2014