Many, if not all, of us get wrapped up in our day-to-day activities from time to time. “There’s so much to do. I’ll never get it all done!” is a story I tell myself much of the time. Amazingly, I get tons done throughout my busy days. It just isn’t always the stuff that I “need” to get done as it is not always aligned with my true goals and intended outcomes.
A few years ago, I took a productivity management course called Mission Control (see MissionControl.com for more info). This program touted itself as the next generation in time management and provided a powerful framework for maintaining control in one’s life by committing thoughts and ideas and common To Do’s to more formal existence systems (e.g., calendars, note pads, etc.) such that they didn’t get lost without being fulfilled. While I still use many of the Mission Control techniques today, I’ve come to realize that without defining my priorities it really isn’t possible to be productive.
Busy? Sure. Get a lot done? Absolutely. Truly productive though? I don’t think so!
Well, this story about never having enough time – or not being able to manage what time I do have effectively – doesn’t serve me. For starters, it comes from a place of scarcity and fear rather than a place of abundance and power. I’m confident I accomplish more than many in any given day, week, month, or year. I tend not to do so stress-free though when I worry about how I am going to get it all done.
The new game I’m playing these days is to pretend that I always have enough time to do what I deem most important. That just requires being more present in my life and recognizing that I am constantly choosing how to prioritize my time. No matter how busy I am, I actually do manage my time – just not always in line with my real priorities.
That’s where strategy comes into play. I may tactically execute with the best of them. If I don’t align my tactics to an overarching strategy though, then I’m much more likely to get wrapped up in being busy instead of being strategic. Being strategic requires being future-focused and always keeping your intended outcomes in mind. Without that, how productive can you really be?
