Work-Life Balance: Be Very, Very Productive
We’ve all heard the slogans about how we need to do more with less. We’re supposed to work smarter not harder these days. It may sound trite, but it is actually possible. And if we can get more done in less time, that frees us up to concentrate on other challenges, or, believe it or not, to achieve a better work-life balance. Here are some ways to do that.
Get away from it all. Yes, it might sound counterintuitive. How can we be more productive if we’re not working? Surprisingly enough, research has shown that a vacation might be just what we need. When we work too hard for too long at a task we end up with diminishing returns. In study after study, researchers have found we do better when we concentrate for short, intense periods of time and then take a break. It gives the mind time to recharge, to explore new pathways instead of trudging down the same old streets.
A vacation also gets you out of your routine. You get to see new places and gain new insights. It might even help you make a breakthrough you never thought possible. Scottish biologist Alexander Fleming took an August vacation from his lab work. Upon his return he found a strange fungus on a culture he had left in his lab. That strange fungus turned out to be penicillin.
Productive people know that time is their most important asset, and so they manage it very carefully. They know exactly when they’re most productive during the day, and they meticulously plan their days to take advantage of it. Are you a morning person? If so, don’t schedule a bunch of routine administrative meetings during that time. Do your best thinking after dinner? Plan around that.
To be productive you need to have a very good sense of what you know and what you don’t. Successful people know what they’re best suited for, so they understand when to delegate a less important task to someone else and also when to seek outside help. It’s not important that you know everything. It is important that you can quickly find someone who knows what you need.
Productive people also have a very good sense of their own limitations. They don’t spread themselves too thinly. They know they can’t be all things to all people all the time, so they have learned how and when to say ‘no’.
If you want to be productive, you not only have to develop your mind, but your body as well. Good physical health is a key component of good mental productivity. Think about how you feel when you’re sitting at the keyboard, refreshed with a good night’s sleep. Then contrast that to how functional you feel when you’re fighting a cold and have spent the entire night tossing and turning. Productive people are healthy people, so take the time to eat right, sleep well and get some exercise.
Yes, you can be very, very productive. The most successful people are the ones who manage their time wisely, work within themselves and know when to step away. It really is a matter of working smarter, not harder.