Are you Productive or EFFECTIVE?

The other day I found myself rushing to get to Rotary in time for lunch and felt like I had been "running at full speed" from the moment I got out of bed. I had a to-do list with some check-marks and a good client meeting that morning, but I felt a bit manic as I was speeding along in traffic and mentioned on the phone, "Oooh, I don't like it when I'm rushing like this!" (I do like fast-paced and dynamic, but this was the next level), then I said  "At least I've been productive!" Because I felt I had been getting things done.  But then I realized I was justifying it.
At first blush, it would be easy to feel better knowing I had been busy and productive, and not do anything differently the rest of the day, or even the rest of the week.  BUT-this is how people wake up after months and years of working hard but not achieving their own meaningful goals.  

Then I said, more to myself than the caller on the other end of my mobile, "Have I been effective?"  There was a long pause in the conversation as we both chewed on this distinction and silently acknowledged we could be doing better...  This was one of those times I caught myself in my old habits and was motivated to get back to what I know works well.

What's the difference between productive and effective, and how does the siren call of action, being busy, and having achieved a level of productivity suck us in when we should demand both productivity and effectiveness of our work time? In my opinion, wasting time is the worst work sin (other than immoral and/or unethical behavior). 

Here are my suggestions for creating the daily habit of being EFFECTIVE:

1. Every day, either at the end or the beginning, plan the day ahead. Consider the most important work to be done and actions taken. For example, "What are the 3 most impact-ful things I can accomplish today?" Then plan when they will be done. This takes just a few minutes of time.

2. Do the most important thing during planned time, preferably in your first hour of the day.  One of my favorite methods is planning a 45-90 minute block of uninterrupted time every day for important work. A best practice habit is not to open email until spending time on critical task(s). Yes, this requires some new habits and routines for most people, but it also guarantees a measure of success for the day (priceless!).

3. Review your most meaningful goals regularly.  Whether you use paper, software, Franklin Covey, GTD, or something else that works for you, make a habit of reflecting on your desired goals with some consistency.  I personally like an annual process that includes written monthly reviews of progress and goals with my accountability partner/coach, in combination with weekly planning, and the daily "hit list" from #1 above.

These three are cyclical; you will find that each complements the others and over time the results you've experienced will be noticeably bigger, and it will feel almost effortless compared to the old struggles.

Here's to your success,
Heather A Legge
EnvisionSuccessInc.com Coaching in Business for Results