{“Show Up Successful!”© Series – Part V}
By Joan Endicott
Busy, busy, busy!  We are all really busy – BUT are we really productive?  That’s the question!
Busy means: having many things to do.  Productive means: making or growing things in larger quantities, achieving good results, producing or achieving a lot.
While “busy” focuses on having a lot to do, “productive” focuses on actually accomplishing a lot.
All in a day’s work: 8am Arrive at work to get important project done.  8:10 Run to get coffee in break room.  Sally shows me her new puppy photos.  8:30 Check and reply to emails.  9:30 Check Facebook for a couple minutes…10:30 Break time – get coffee.  10:45 Start project.  11:00 Son called, and then daughter called – 2 non-business calls on my cell phone.  11:45 Text colleagues to see where they want to go to lunch. 12:00-1:00 Lunch. 1:00-4:45 Afternoon much like the morning…so busy but haven’t progressed on that important project.  4:50 Text my husband before leaving work, “Can u grab dinner? Still Nd 2 wrk on project tonight. Such a busy day!
Everyone SAYS they want to be more productive, so why are so few actually accomplishing heightened and sustained levels of productivity?
Sadly, research indicates that if you just show up on time, ready to do your job, you are in the top 20% of the most productive. So, what’s the problem?  DISTRACTIONS!  Distractions come in all shapes and sizes.
What is the biggest time-waster that keeps us from our highest performance and productivity? According to Mashable Inc., (Mashable is a British-American news website, technology and social media blog which has 3 million followers on Google+) in the US alone, Social Media Distractions Cost the U.S. Economy $650 Billion (yes, Billion.) I was astounded, but frankly, not surprised at this staggering statistic.  {In a previous column I addressed the dishonesty of doing personal things when getting paid to do business.}
Here’s the key, if you truly want to be highly productive and not just say you do, you must get rid of anything that distracts you. Period!  As Paul J. Mayer says, “Productivity is never an accident.  It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.”
Step 1: Looking at your vision, mission and values, decide where you want to be.
Step 2: Honestly access where you currently are.  This can be painful because we aren’t where we want to be and it’s easy to sit and beat ourselves up for that. But, as you know, regret only compounds the issue, wasting even more valuable can’t-get-it-back time.
Step 3: Create a strategic plan.  Strategic means deliberately, tactically, intentionally, purposefully, etc.  It’s a matter of just deciding how much you want to do it and then eliminating whatever is standing in your way of peak performance and productivity.  You can do it.  Anyone can do it.  Being productive – or not – is a choice we all make several times a day.

Award-Winning Speaker, Author and Giant-Slayer Coach, Joan Endicott works with individuals and organizations to improve performance, productivity and profit in business and life. Visit her business face book: com/pages/Joan-Endicott, Website: JoanEndicott.com or call (208) 453-8056.

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