Are You "Busy" or Meaningfully Productive?

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Meaningfully Productive, Great! Just Plain Busy, Not So Good

What Busy-ness looks like:

Busy-ness is activity that is not intentional nor in alignment with your values or goals.

I used to keep “busy” with paperwork all day, every day.

I thought I was being responsible, and getting everything in order. But it was never ending and eating up my life.

I’d been spending most of my time organizing papers, making phone calls, and getting my phone bill lowered.

It looked like I was getting things done, but I wasn’t. Not on what mattered.

This is wrong wrong wrong.

Why Is Busy Bad?

When I spent all of my time chasing the paper tiger, there was little time for exercise, ample sleep, business-building, or being artsy-fartsy.

I spent no time on stuff that made my soul happy, except to squeeze in an occasional hike with a friend.

I learned that being “busy” kept me from working on stuff that made me nervous or bored. Especially the stuff that made me nervous.

Would I find out I was terrible at business if I applied myself? Could I be a good artist if I spent more time on it? What would I learn about myself if I spent more quality time with people I loved?

Who knows. It was easy to avoid these questions by being too busy balancing my checkbook to the penny.

What Is Being Busy Masking?

Paperwork fed my belief that I was “getting something done,” and I was “being responsible.”

Nope. I was procrastinating. On all the GOOD stuff.

Silly, right?

Sometimes it’s hard to recognize when we are procrastinating.

Here are some other ways we fool ourselves:

We respond to everything, whether it’s email, text, facebook, snail mail, or phone calls. (We say to ourselves: “I don’t want anyone to think I’m ignoring them!”)

We spend hours on social media. (We say to ourselves: “I must keep up with what my friends and family because I want them to know I love them.” Or “I need to show my life is meaningful by posting everything I do.”)

We watch or read too much news. (We say to ourselves: “It’s important to stay informed.” or “I want to feel smart when talking with others.”)

We do a ton of shopping. (We say to ourselves: “I need to keep up my reputation for being fashionable.” Or “This latest gadget will make my life easier.”)

We work 80 hour weeks: “I have to be the provider.” Or “This is what I’m great at.”

We clean constantly.

We exercise for hours.

Minutes Add Up to Hours. Where Does the Time Go?

We look up the meaning of everything that comes to mind.

“Oh, my coffee is from Guatemala! Where is Guatemala located?What Guatemala is like in the summer? After 45 minutes of researching Guatemala and the coffee tree…we finally come up for air. (We tell ourselves “It’s so easy to find out anything and I’m a curious person.” “I’ll feel smarter after I find the answer.”)

We spend hours “helping” our daughter, son, or pet. Their life becomes more important than our life. (We tell ourselves “I love them and they need me.” or “Their success reflects on who I am as a parent.”)

We say yes to every request. (We think “I’ve got to be a nice person.”Or “They will be upset if I say no.”)

And more.

Here’s your assignment: Look suspiciously at any activity you spend a great deal of time on and ask yourself…what is this giving me? What am I avoiding by doing this all the time?

Balanced Productiveness. What Does that Look Like?

Productive tasks align with your values, and allow for a balanced approach to your life. They can still include shopping, cleaning, working, helping, relaxing, and more

Here is where it gets tricky. I could say that doing paperwork DOES align with my values. I value being responsible. I value being on time. I value being organized. I value finding good deals. The problem is, I was not valuing They are part of your day on purpose and in alignment with your values IN A BALANCED WAY.

1. Know what you value most in life. Some values include staying healthy, connecting with family, friends, and pets. Engaging in meaningful work. Participating in passionate hobbies. Creating and maintaining a space that feels good. Exploring. Giving. And more.

2. Create meaningful goals that reflect those values. They may be measurable goals or goals that allow you simply to spend time focused on those value

3. Do one, two or three things a day that allows you to participate in those values.

Combine value-based activities as a bonus. Going on a hike with friends gives you exercise and social interaction.

You value good health and connection. You get both with one activity!

Score!

Does this mean you can never spend time doing things you usually do too much of? Of course not. Just be sure it’s on purpose and in balance with other life goals.

Watching TV can be productive when it sets you up for success, like “this next hour is for restoration of my energy.”

Just be sure it IS restoring your energy…not just a way to get out of something that feels uncomfortable.

For example, I watch several Saturday Night Live skits everyday for a few stress-relieving belly laughs. It’s part of my current mindful stress-reducing routine. (1)

The hardest part is being honest with yourself. Like most of us, you spend too much time on sh*t that doesn’t feed your soul, restore you, or create a life you enjoy.

Stop and think.

Live Juicy, Joybird!