As a business coach and productivity consultant, I get asked quite often how I define productivity. To be honest, I have a slightly different answer each time I am asked. Productivity, like many things, can mean something different each day based on mindset, motivation, mood, and priorities. But if I were to define it in as few words as possible, I would say productivity is presence.
Think about this: How often do you find your mind focused on and thinking about something or someone that is different from the person, project, or task at hand? I once heard the phrase, “we spend our time at work thinking about things at home, and our time at home thinking about things at work.” Can you relate? It is no wonder most people feel overwhelmed for the majority of their day, if their thoughts dart around and diverge all the time.
What is presence?
So how do I define presence?
- Being in the moment.
- Being fully focused on where you are, who you are with, what you are doing.
- Uni-tasking.
- BE-ing and not just DO-ing.
Isn’t that really what we want when we are aiming to be productive?
It isn’t about simply getting things done; it’s about completing the most important thing, at that very moment, with our full mental capacity contributing.
It isn’t about simply spending enough time with a family member or friend; it’s about truly enjoying those precious minutes together and being 100% engaged with the people we love.
It isn’t about simply doing the work the client expects or paid for; it’s about listening fully to what the client needs and focusing all of your energy on creating the highest quality product possible, to serve them to the best of your ability.
It is only when you learn to be fully present, both professionally and personally, that you are actually tapping into the true potential within. And when you learn to tap into that potential, you undoubtedly achieve productivity, in the moments when it matters most.
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