Productivity’s Pleasures

Do you know anyone who doesn’t wish to be more productive than they already are? Maybe somewhere there are people in that camp but I haven’t met them.

Even if you’ve retired, I’d wager you might like to spend time on activities that are more fulfilling than reading and eating bonbons. I know, I know—that’s a bold claim. To ascertain whether it’s true, I called the only phone number etched in my mind and reached my dad, who’s 86 years old and pretty healthy (he always adds “for an older person”).

“How important is productivity to you?” I asked. “Sitting around and watching Turner Classic Movies is great but not great enough,” said Dad, who still volunteers with his local Democratic club in St. Louis County. He’s also tormented by sweet gum balls that rain down from several trees he planted in his yard 43 years ago. Every fall and into the spring, he and my mom load up tarps of the suckers and drag them to the woods behind their home. The guy’s got a full dance card.

We humans were put here to do more than loll around and watch Casablanca or reruns of The Big Bang Theory. That may not be a fact but I’ll stand behind it nonetheless. Getting big things done and tackling small tasks gives us a sense of purpose and accomplishment.

I stumble on a lot of tips on how to be more productive. They’re mostly very helpful but they bypass a key part of why productivity and its absence are important. Here’s something to ponder: How do you feel when you’re procrastinating? Or attempting that mythological activity called multi-tasking? What does being distracted feel like?

In my Get Shit Done program, I’ll not only help you tackle new and longstanding tasks, we’ll tune in to how those old, unhelpful habits feel so that you can move into a more focused, less stressful way of being. Intrigued? Then get in touch to set up a free 30-minute breakthrough session. Whether or not we decide to work together, I promise you’ll walk away with value.