Friend 1: *phone call* Hey!
Friend 2: Hi, what's up?
Friend 1: Oh, nothing. Just checking in on ya to see how you've been.
Friend 2: Oh man, I tell ya, it's been really busy lately!
Friend 1: Really?
Friend 2: Yes, I haven't had the chance to catch a break.
Friend 1: Wow, well, it's good that you're out here, hustling.
How many of us have had these conversations lately? It seems like "being busy" is the epitome of success everyone wishes to have on their Facebook Status. While we're out here being "busy", how many of us are actually being productive?
Let's put this into an international perspective: The 4-Day Work Week Experiment. Microsoft recently decided to grant its workers a 4-Day Work week instead of the corporate 5/6 day work week schedule everybody is used to. They started doing this to see how productivity in the company will be affected by giving everyone a 3-Day weekend off. Sure enough, their productivity was tremendously affected! Their workers clocked in to a 32 hours a week schedule, experienced a 7% decrease in stress levels, and Microsoft noticed a 20% increase in productivity levels amongst their worker (click here to read the article).
They tested this experiment in Japan, and it was a night-and-day difference in people's work-life balance. Now, the Japanese government is pushing for all major companies to adopt a 4-day Work-Week protocol (click here to read the latest news). The traditional business model of "Being busy instead of productive" is now being challenged. With more people working from home, balancing work and life is more important now than ever. In Europe, having a 4-day work week is normal. But in the US and most Asian Countries, a 4-day work week seems out of the question. It is only out of the question, I would argue, if a company does not allocate its funding properly to take care of both the employees and customers/clientele. I would also argue that working just to fill in the required work hours is how most companies fall through the cracks during this pandemic. Being busy just to "look busy" is not productive!
Productivity is, according to definition.com, is having the power to produce and generate creativity or creative works. Whereas "busy" is, more or less, attentively or actively engaged in work or a pastime. In essence, productivity is progress, while busyness is staying stuck in the past. Now, which would you rather say: "I am busy" or "I have been productive lately"?
As humans of the 21st century, we are addicted to progress. Since that's the case, why are we worshipping "busyness" and not paying attention to the value of productivity? Simply put: pride.
Last time, we talked about Proverbs 23:4, "Do not wear yourselves out to get rich." The reason we still do so is because of Proverbs 16:18 and Matthew 6:1:
"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." - Proverbs 16:18
"Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven." - Matthew 6:1
Again, this is what the Bible says. So if you'd like to challenge the argument above about being productive over being busy, ask God. But you do have to agree with the reality that we live in a Comparative Society. We post on Social media our new job we got hired into; or the new Ferrari we just bought; or the amazing vacation in Hawaii we just took. While posting those things aren't necessarily bad, the act of comparison is. This is where we start to look for ways to "busy" ourselves - make it look like we have our act together, when in reality we don't.
So what do we do to reduce the need to compare ourselves?
The best course of action is to prioritize what work is important now, and what is least important. Prioritization is the first step in being productive. Organizing our work schedule by putting the most important tasks on the top of the list will ensure that we focus on each task with clarity. What we focus on, we apply our energy towards. Then, we put our most important tasks on the top of the Calendar (which we discussed is the most important tool in the last blog post). Now, we start to frame our whole day or week around that particular set of tasks. All the least important tasks should be considered last.
How do we know what tasks are important and what tasks are least important?
It's whatever tasks that will generate a steady flow of income now rather than later. Even if these tasks are not what you want to do, they are tasks that you must get done in order to stay on top of your schedule. Managing your time means managing your tasks on your calendar.
Now if your boss piles on unnecessary work for you, ask in a polite way, "what is the significance of getting these tasks done, so that I may allocate proper time to deal with these tasks?" If there isn't any important significance to them, then accept it, but set it to the side and deal with the most important tasks in front of you. Sometimes, bosses and managers are too focused on their position rather than productivity. If that's the case, just be productive in your department rather than add on unnecessary tasks. And if you are a boss, CEO or manager, then question the tasks you give to your people and ask, "is this going to help the company grow while taking care of my employees first? Or is this a task that is just to save face?"
To sum it all up, a 4-Day work week that is productive is a work-week that has the ability to boost productivity and progress. So, what will it be for you and your business: Staying busy or staying productive?
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