Try balance and let go of being so busy…
Tired? Stressed? Spinning your wheels?
Today I invite you to try balance because when it comes to efficiency and effectiveness, being busy isn’t the key.
No, indeed.
In fact, if productivity is your aim, then time balance is a very important component in your toolbox of time management skills. It’s a common and quite destructive misconception that productivity is best maintained by being busy all the time.
In fact, this is far from the truth.
Your productivity is predicated on staying focused and keeping your energy and motivation from flagging. And time balance is precisely the tool for accomplishing that.
A reader recently e-mailed me the following question:
I find that I just can’t slow down, and I feel exhausted most of the time. Being productive is important to me, so I drive myself to achieve and get things done. And I tend to see anything that pulls me away from what I should be doing as a waste of time. So my question is, how can I ever take time for activities that I know are probably good for me but aren’t absolutely productive and necessary?
My Response? Try Balance
My response to Beth outlines the ways that creating and maintaining time balance will help keep her going, and I wanted to share it with you, too.
Dear Beth,
I hear your frustration about the way that you drive yourself.
It is vital that you make space in your life for relaxing activities that aren’t directly related to work. That has the added benefit of enhancing your productivity.
Why? Well, because to be most productive, you need to change your pace, your focus, and your energy throughout the day. This is what I call time balance, and here are some ways to achieve it for yourself:
- Alternate tasks where you are sitting at your computer with ones where you are active. When you move your body you move your energy.
- Approach your non-work activity with openness, gratitude and compassion, and not with harshness or urgency.
- Set aside a time every day for exercise and relaxation. Find a time that works best for you, and be sure to follow-through on your commitment.
- Specifically, consider something like this: With every hour of sitting, I take 10-15 minutes to move and re-energize myself. Going outdoors, meditating, or doing some stretches helps counterbalance your work energy.
- Start small and build from there. Try to make one small change for a week and document what you notice.
- After your routine becomes second nature, encourage yourself to add something else to your day.
Most importantly, when you try time balance, or any new skill, for that matter, be gentle and kind to yourself!
Warmest regards,
Paula
Time Balance Works.
The thing about time balance is that each and every time you step away from your work or change your pattern, it’s like awakening your mind, body, and spirit. You come back to whatever you were doing with a feeling of renewal. That, in turn, allows you to be much more productive than you’d otherwise be.
Of course, focus, too, is key. So it is vital that your breaks be time-limited and you return to your task in whatever time-frame you’ve given yourself. Not only does this maintain your time balance, but it also builds and sustains self-trust.
And here’s more help with balance…
Time is pure potential. You decide how to use it; and once you do, it’s gone. That’s why it’s so important to build on your best time choices. If you feel like your time slips through your fingers, then you’ll want to claim your copy of my complimentary “Daily Choices Template: Proven Strategies for Tracking Your Best Time Choices Today, Tomorrow & All Year!” There’s no time like the present – to start moving toward the future you envision for yourself.
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