It’s an oxymoron. Slowing down to Increase your productivity. But, it works ~ every single time.
When we speed up the pace, we often are not focused. When we are not focused, many things fall through the cracks. When things fall through the cracks, we start working quickly. When we are not at our best, we can not be as productive as we desire. Most of all, we are not at our best. When we are not at our best. We become tired, irritable, and beyond. It’s simply not healthy to work and live at an increased pace. At this point. Slowing the pace can actually increase your productivity. Slowing Down the pace allows you to have less stress, more energy, increase your productivity and, ultimately, live in greater Joy.
Let’s take an example. It’s a Monday Morning ~ we all know what that can look like. You had a fun weekend but didn’t take the chance to get ready for the week. You’re trying to get the kids ready for school and out of the house to work. You are in a rush ~ getting lunches ready, getting the kids dressed and ready. What about that healthy breakfast? And, inevitably, someone has misplaced something and is frenetically looking for it. Or worse, you forget something important and remember it half way to work! Here, it would be great to slow the pace, keep calm, focus on one thing to accomplish it all~ But, how can you slow the pace to keep on task when, yes, there is so much to get done. It’s not as hard as it seems.
Batch Tasks ~ check your email at certain intervals during the day. Pay all your bills at given times during the month.
Focus on the task at hand. When at work, work. When at home, homemaking, home~make. When parenting, parent. Dividing your attention only does that divides. Division is often, well, divisive!
Care For the Systems you create in your life. We all have systems and having them in place is great BUT systems need care. Without them, they fall apart. Check in on them every now and then. Do they suit you? Are they running properly? Do they need more supplies? If yes, clean them up, put some grease on them, make sure you have everything you need to stay in the flow.
Use a time of the week to just plan. Most people who are productive spend time at a given point each week to look at their calendars and plan their times. And don’t over schedule yourself. Of course, there needs to be some spontaneity in life! I use a Sunday Success Steps ~ a system I created long ago to acknowledge accomplishments, review my intentions and plan the week ahead.
And above all else, turn OFF the ‘dinger’ on your smart phone!!!! To have notifications every time someone you know tweets, or FB posts, or emails or, yes, even calls you, is the ultimate definition of distraction. And, beyond that, if you are with someone or in a meeting, don’t spend time looking at it every 10 minutes. It can wait. Really, it can.
Life is meant to live in-joy. Slowing down the pace allows you to do just that. It’s not as hard as we make it out to be. Create some simple ways to avoid multi-tasking. By slowing down the pace to increase your productivity, you can live in the moment more. You can decrease your stress, have more energy, get more accomplished and live a life In~Joy. What one thing can you do today to slow the pace?
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Oh – I see this so much with busy Moms. Amazing how much more productive we can be and how much better we can feel, when we do have down time to refresh & recharge.
Comment by Stephanie Merchant — August 19, 2013 @ 3:22 pm
That’s so true, Stephanie!
Comment by Laura Clark — August 19, 2013 @ 7:58 pm
Refresh and recharge! Yep, some of the hardest words in the language for busy people to take to heart (me included).
It is hard for people who have so much to do to slow down. But it is a catch 22, isn’t it? Unless you slow down, you make mistakes or don’t do your best.
Thanks for your great posts.
Comment by Lilia Lee — August 20, 2013 @ 10:37 am
It’s the mis-takes that make me slow down and auto-correct doesn’t help me slow down on the computer at all. Whatever happened to really looking at what you write to make sure it says what you want it to say ;-).
Comment by Laura Clark — August 20, 2013 @ 11:50 am
My friend Jeanna teaches people who to go faster by slowing down. I’ll have to turn her on to this post. I love your Sunday Success Steps, and the whole message of this post.
I have found that when I’m feeling pushed, rushed or in a hurry, not only do I start to resent it, but my results suffer. But when I slow down, get present and relax into whatever I’m doing, it’s as if time expands. And I have more conscious room to receive creative downloads and non-physical assistance.
Comment by Nancy Tierney — August 20, 2013 @ 1:15 pm
So timely and so dead on for work and play. I am smiling today I realized (as I was playing golf) that slowing down my swing was all I needed to do to add distance. Thanks for the reminder not to RUSH!
Comment by Cindy — August 20, 2013 @ 9:53 pm
Having just come home from a fully unplugged vacation, I totally get it. Usually I take my laptop, just in case. But I did not do that this time and it was fantastic. Now I am ready to rock and roll!
Comment by Tiffany Kane — August 22, 2013 @ 6:07 pm
SO glad you had some R&R rest, recovery, relaxation and rejuvenation!!! 🙂
Comment by Laura Clark — August 22, 2013 @ 6:38 pm
This is so true Laura!
I can attest to the fact that when I slow down, I get so much more done! I love the steps you’ve given – I must remember to switch off that dinger!
Comment by Sarada — August 22, 2013 @ 7:14 pm
Oh Laura! You described my life! I used to run around like that and was frequently stressed out because, while I was running, I never felt like I was accomplishing much. I was very proud of what a great multi-tasker I thought I was!!
Thanks for the great reminder on the importance of slowing down and being intentional.
Comment by Alyssa — August 26, 2013 @ 9:39 am