Have you ever caught yourself saying, “You just don’t get it, I’m SO busy!” I hold my hands up and know I’ve been guilty of that. It’s almost an automatic response when you feel like your plate is so full that nobody else could possibly understand.
To help me dig deeper into this mindset and how we approach productivity, I recently spoke with productivity coach Elise Enrqiuez, who completely flipped my perspective. Elise said productivity is not just about ticking off tasks; it’s about focusing on what truly matters.
Do you know what matters most to you? And then are you prioritizing and making progress on those things while still enjoying the people, experiences, and opportunities that are all around you? We only have one life to live and so how can we go after what we want to go after while still enjoying the journey along the way?
What matters most to you will naturally change along with the seasons of life, and even from one day to the next. Sometimes, it will be having lunch with a friend, other times it might even be having a nap. Ultimately, it’s all about balancing what needs to get done with what you want to do.
But we often get stuck in the whole “you don’t understand” mindset when we lose touch with the reality of our own time. For example, if you’re in the car two hours a day shuttling your kids around, you’re not going to get anything else done with that time. And so you need to remove it from your availability and stop expecting that you have eight hours in your day to get stuff done when you actually have six.
Elise encourages us to be painfully realistic about your time while still being aspirational about what you’re going to create in the world. And when you do that, that forces prioritization. We can have all the tools and tips around productivity but really, it all comes down to prioritizing how you’re going to spend your time. And when it’s a conscious choice you make about how you’re prioritizing your time, you should feel just as good about what’s not getting done as you do about what is getting done.
Handling Interruptions
We all deal with interruptions to our working time, whether it’s mom calling for help with some tech issue or your kids coming home from school. I know I find myself feeling frustrated when I get interrupted but it’s okay to have that emotional reaction. For female entrepreneurs specifically, it’s often harder because we are taught to tend to everybody’s needs. We feel like we have to be responsive to our family, our businesses and our clients, but that can tip into reactivity, where we’re doing without thinking.
If you catch yourself feeling that frustration, take a breath and think about, “who do I want to be right now? What matters most?” And what matters most might not be mom right now. But that’s okay–it’s just a matter of communicating that lovingly.
And this is why it’s so important to start your day with a clear idea of your top priorities. That means when interruptions come, you can look at the interruption in front of you and decide, do I want to engage with this or not? We are the ones who get to decide that. Often, people end up feeling annoyed by interruptions because they are just engaging with every new thing that comes in.
When an interruption crops up, ask yourself: is this something that needs my immediate attention, or can it wait? By staying focused on what really matters, you can handle interruptions without losing sight of your goals.
And remember, It’s okay to hit pause and deal with whatever life throws your way. Productivity isn’t about pushing through non-stop; it’s about finding a balance that works for you. So the next time you find yourself dealing with an unexpected issue, try to stay flexible, stay focused, and remember what’s important to you.
Common Productivity Challenges
It’s easy for business owners to feel swamped by the sheer volume of tasks on our plates. But when everything feels urgent, it’s crucial to take a step back and prioritize. Break down your to-do list into smaller, actionable steps, and focus on tackling one thing at a time. Remember, progress is made one step at a time.
Sometimes, we have big dreams but no clear path to achieving them. For example, maybe you want to start a podcast. But “start podcast” can easily end up lingering on a to-do list for months without action. The best way to make progress is to identify the next physical, visible action you can take to move forward. Whether it’s researching podcasting equipment or planning your first episode, having a concrete next step can provide the clarity you need to get started.
But be careful about planning every detail before taking action as that can lead to paralysis by analysis. While it’s important to have a strategy, getting bogged down in the details can prevent you from taking action. Instead of trying to plan for every contingency, focus on the immediate next step. Action breeds momentum, so don’t let overthinking hold you back!
Best Tools to Improve Productivity
Elise shared some nifty tips and tools that can help marketers and online business owners stay organized and efficient, even when life gets hectic:
- Start Simple: Sometimes all you need is a good ol’ spreadsheet. People tend to over invest in technology but then don’t know what to do with it. Sticking to the basic tools can work wonders and won’t break the bank!
- Airtable: If you’re a spreadsheet aficionado looking for a little more oomph, Airtable is a step up from your typical spreadsheet, with extra features to help you organize data and collaborate with others.
- Calendar: Elise considers the “bonus brain” to be the stuff that holds everything that you need to remember so that you’re not trying to hold it in your head anymore. Because trying to hold it in your head is why you’re not able to be present with the people you love and why you don’t sleep. Having one calendar that holds personal and professional tasks–and that can just be as simple as a Google calendar or your Outlook calendar–is essential for seeing the reality of your time.
- GQueues: GQueues is a helpful app for capturing all those random thoughts and to-dos floating around in your brain. Whether it’s a project, a task, or just a fleeting idea, GQueues has got you covered and is very reasonably priced!
- OneNote or Evernote: Last but not least, let’s talk storage. Whether you’re jotting down notes, saving links, or storing important documents, having a reliable storage system is key. OneNote and Evernote are two tried-and-true options that keep your stuff organized and easily accessible.
Lowering Expectations
A struggle many of us face is simply expecting too much of ourselves, especially when our schedules are jam-packed with back-to-back commitments. But it’s okay to acknowledge that some days, you’re just not going to get it all done. And that’s perfectly okay.
It took me years to come to terms with this reality. I used to cram my schedule full of meetings and tasks, convinced that I could power through it all. But the truth is, expecting to accomplish everything on those hectic days is like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole – it just doesn’t work.
Elise’s advice is to lower your expectations. Instead of expecting to conquer the world in a single day, focus on what’s truly achievable given your time constraints. Maybe that means only tackling two things on your to-do list instead of ten. Even though you may not have checked off every item on your list, you’ve still made meaningful progress on the things that matter most. And that’s what productivity is all about – prioritizing what’s important and letting go of the rest.
Ultimately, productivity is about knowing what matters most to you and setting up systems that support those priorities. It’s a journey, and it may look different from one day to the next. But as long as you’re honest with yourself about what’s achievable and what’s not, you’ll be well on your way to a more fulfilling and productive life.
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Don’t let overwhelm and inefficiency hold you back any longer. Sign up for OptimaFunnels today and discover how easy it can be to conquer your to-do list and achieve your goals. Your future self will thank you for it!
