The biggest productivity myth I believed for years + what finally replaced it with

The thing was, I was so overwhelmed by tasks that all seemed important. “Were they true priorities though?” was the most important question I could ask myself. I was so on-the-go completing my never-ending To-Do List, that I had little time to understand the bigger picture, or the steps necessary to get the business to where it needed to be. 

That feeling of forgetting something? The feeling that I always needed to be doing something, that if I wasn't busy, then I’m not moving the needle.

Constantly having to be doing something, constantly having to be busy, was the biggest productivity myth I believed would make me successful. 

3 Practices That Keep Me Calm + Strategic While Maximizing Productivity

1. Lay Out Your Timeline.

You know that saying, "Begin with the end in mind"? Here's where we apply it to life. What do you ultimately want to achieve? In how long? Start there + break down the large steps that will get you where you want to be into smaller tasks over the necessary amount of time it will take to complete the project or initiative. Plot them on your timeline + account for the time, effort, team, + investments necessary to build up to the next step. Consider your SMART Goal: Is it Specific? Measurable? Actionable? Realistic? Time-bound? If you're able to answer all of these, you're well on your way to success.

2. Remember the Vision.

When you find yourself getting overwhelmed or running around, take a look at your vision. Do your tasks all align with that vision? How do they contribute to your end goal? If the answer is very little, move it to the bottom of your priority list, and take a breath of relief.

3. Slow Down.

I replaced  the racing thoughts with “slow down.” Slowing down gave me the space to see the path more clearly and think more clearly about what the most meaningful thing I could next should be, with my clear goals in mind. Once I shifted my day-to-day priorities to align with my greater vision, I found that I didn’t have such a full plate any more. I could complete the 3-5 major tasks , while giving myself the grace to make adjustments as needed. I grew to be able to rest and trust in my ability to simply slow down and see the forest through the trees. 

Being in business is the same way. Project Management is the same way. 

When you’re investing your energy into misaligned goals, you feel stuck. The vehicle is not moving forward on the path to your success. 

Once you shift your time, your energy, + your effort, you start to notice positive change, in yourself + in your business.