The best way to get more done is to slow down. Period. It’s really that simple.
So… Are you still busy?
Why qualify my question with the word ‘still’? Only because it’s a safe assumption.
Think about it… is there any part of your world where busy isn’t the gold standard?
In a world where people wear busy like a badge of honor, not being busy can feel awkward and unnatural. Like you’re a slacker. You’re afraid to be perceived as lazy. You worry that you should be accomplishing something.”
– Amy Blaschka, writer and speaker
Her article resonated, because I have to admit, I played the ‘busy’ just card yesterday.
I didn’t want to, but it slipped out… so I had to go with it.
The quote is from Amy’s article, “The Fastest Way to Be More Productive Is to Slow Down” that I found today on Forbes.com.
I got what I deserved… the response was the new universal worldview, “Well, we’re ALL busy.”
The thing is, we all have a hard time admitting that busyness does not result in productivity.
Be honest. Do you want appearances, or do you want results? Remember, the best way to get more done is to slow down.
Busyness can feel that way. It can also convince us that we don’t have a choice… that we don’t have a say in the matter. The truth is… even if it’s hard for us to see, we almost always have a choice. It’s just easier to keep saying yes to everything that comes our way.
Before I left the corporate world, the C-suite mantra was, “You’re just going to have to do more with less. That’s the way it is in today’s world.” That approach may have worked for a while, but you eventually reach a point where you just can’t do any more with any less.
The remedy eludes us because it’s entirely counterintuitive…
… slowing down enough to actually get more done. More results, less wheel-spinning. It’s a lot like getting unstuck in the snow.
Amy Blaschka’s article I mentioned above talks about the value of doing nothing.
How often do you let yourself simply do nothing? You heard me… nothing, nada thing? Most of us don’t, but we should give it a try on occasion.
How do you even start doing nothing?
It may sound funny, but it does take some effort to do nothing. Freezing in place like a droid with her batteries pulled doesn’t work..
- Begin by making yourself comfortable. Find your favorite chair and turn off or put away anything that might distract you.
- You may want to find a window from which to gaze.
- Can you imagine sitting motionless, quiet, with no outside stimulation? It’s harder than it sounds.
Doing nothing has gotten the attention of many high achievers.
Professional athletes, entrepreneurs, and creatives alike agree more and more that allowing our minds to wander and daydream results in problem-solving, higher creativity, and innovative thinking.
Remember the book “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” by Richard Carlson? Published over twenty years ago (can you believe that?) it’s still relevant today.
“Small Stuff” was so successful it became a series and one of the volumes was, “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff at Work.” One line from that book that has stuck with me is this…
Being dead is bad for business.”
The point is simple and impossible to argue. If you get so wrapped up in being busy at work… if you become sooooo important to the business that you completely burn yourself out and die trying to do even more… you will have failed.
Killing yourself with all this busyness isn’t a good thing…
See where it gets you. See how it works out for you.
Here are a few suggestions from Amy’s article that will help you adjust to the feeling of slowing down. The cold turkey approach doesn’t work well since busyness has become so deeply ingrained in our culture.
- Instead of grabbing your latte to go next time, sit down and enjoy it. Don’t touch that phone… just notice the world around you.
- Notebooks and tablets are great but try some creative time with pad and pen. You’ll be surprised with what you come up with when you go old school.
- We talked about doing nothing up top. Try scheduling a regular time to-just-do-nothing-on-purpose.
- Change your surroundings. Get away from all those distractions that induce busyness. Take a break and go to a park. They still have those, you know.
- Try activities that require a slower pace. Go for a walk (leave your devices behind). Try yoga over a spin class. Find a quiet place to visit outdoors.
- Give yourself permission. It’s okay. You don’t even have to tell anyone.
One last time so you won’t forget… the best way to get more done is to slow down.
Step off the hamster wheel. Your secret’s safe with me!
Be untucked.
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Copyright © 2019 Jeff Meister
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