deepstash
Beta
Productivity and Happiness: Why Are We So Busy?
Productivity and Effectiveness
Efficiency does not necessarily guarantee effectiveness. Getting more done is not an accurate barometer for measuring your impact. Consider whether you’re being effective in achieving what you actually want.
Think about what it is you’re really seeking and what might be the most direct path to get it. Then realize that sometimes doing less can actually pave the path to experiencing more—more satisfaction, more ease, and even more effectiveness.
114 SAVES
This is a professional note extracted from an online article.
Read more efficiently
Save what inspires you
Remember anything
IDEA EXTRACTED FROM:
4
Key Ideas
Productivity and the American Dream
We are obsessed with the idea that our potential for happiness is intricately tied to our freedom to pursue wealth. We think we must work harder and longer than the majority if we’re to amass a fortune so we can escape the drudgery of work as we know it.
We can fill our days with work that stretches us, fulfills us, and endows life with a whole new level of meaning.
Productivity and Happiness
Research suggests that happiness leads to success, not the other way around. It would benefit us to shift our focus from achieving future happiness to accessing that joy right now.
When we wrap our days around things we have to do we leave very little time for the things we want to do. Happiness requires balance.
The Alternative to Busyness
Ask yourself:
- What is it you really want to accomplish?
- What can you do today that supports your deepest passions?
- If you knew your days were numbered, how much time would you want to devote to activities that have nothing to do with striving and achieving?
SIMILAR ARTICLES & IDEAS:
3
Key Ideas
Busyness is a myth
Although people feel much busier with work these days, the total time people are working – whether paid or otherwise – has not increased in Europe or North America in recent decades.
The illusion of busyness is caused by:
- Economies grow and time is more valuable: Any given hour is worth more, so we experience more pressure to squeeze in more work.
- The type of work we do has changed: We live in an “infinite world" - more incoming emails, meetings, things to read, more ideas to follow up – and digital technology means you can easily crank through them. The result, inevitably, is feeling overwhelmed.
Busyness has become the indicator of status
Though historically, the ultimate symbol of wealth, achievement and social superiority was the freedom not to work. Now we measure our worth not by the results we achieve, but by how much of our time we spend doing things.
2
Key Ideas
Common lies we tell ourselves
- If I had more time, I would do X.
- If I say or do X, people will think I’m stupid.
- If I just say or do X, then that person will finally change.
- Everything is great/Everything sucks.
- There’s something inherently wrong or different about me.
- I would change, but I can’t because of X.
- I can’t live without X.
- I know what I’m doing.
3
Key Ideas
The "frog"
It is your biggest, most important task, the one you are most likely to procrastinate on if you don't do something about it.
It is also the one task that can have the greatest positiv...
Brian Tracy
"One of the very worst uses of time is to do something very well that need not be done at all".
The ABCDE prioritization approach
- A items : Things you must do, which will have a serious positive or negative consequence.
- B items : Things you should do, that have minor consequences.
- C items : Things that are nice to do but don’t have any real consequences when they’re done.
- D items : Things to delegate so you can free up more time to do A tasks.
- E items : Things to eliminate. Generally stuff you do out of habit.