What Are You Busy About?
August 2, 2011 by Kristin Lowe
Filed under Purpose, To Do Lists
Ask anyone how they’re doing, and the answer is likely to be, “Busy.” For some people this is a complaint, and for others it’s a point of pride or a simple fact.
Thoreau said, “It’s not enough to be busy. The question is, ‘What are we busy about?’”
Productivity without purpose is a waste of time. There’s no point in being smart about your to-do list if it’s filled with items that don’t truly add value to anyone’s life or work.
Here are 3 tips for making sure all your hard work is actually adding up to something meaningful:
1. Define your core values.
Your values are the things that matter most to you. Living in accordance with your values is essential for experiencing contentment with how you spend your time and energy.
For example, if you value excellence, or integrity, or family time…your to-do list should only carry items that are supportive of these values. Otherwise you will struggle to get things done because you won’t really believe in what you are supposed to be working on.
2. Discover your unique purpose.
Your purpose is the reason you are here in this world. The practice of aligning your goals and regular activities with your purpose brings peace and passion to each day, even when you feel overloaded.
What sorts of activities come effortlessly and naturally to you? Think about the things you love doing or are most proud of to find clues to your unique gifts and purpose.
3. Create your personal or professional vision.
Your vision is the compass that guides your personal and professional efforts. Your vision brings clarity to difficult decisions about how to spend your limited time and resources.
Make a plan for where you see yourself 1 year from now, 3 years from now, 10 years from now. Break these goals down into discrete steps, and be sure that these tasks are regularly appearing on your daily and weekly to-do lists.
Don’t let busy-ness fool you into thinking that having lots to do means you’re doing a lot. There’s a big difference between being active and productive. Which one are you being?
