It is
not enough to be busy…
The question is: What are we busy about?
-
Henry David Thorean
In life, there are three things that dignifies a man; Faith, Family, and
Work. There is a level of responsibility and discipline each demand, and it is
expected that there should be a balance when sharing the limited resources
(like time, money etc) available to an individual among the three. Even
culturally speaking, after you are asked about your family the next thing is
your work. Why? Work shows how responsible you are; it is a yard stick for
measuring how resourceful you are as a person within a society.
In an ever competitive and challenging society, the worth of a man is
measured by the value he is able to create from the bunch of activities that he
is engaged in. Creating such values could come from redefining productivity as
it relates to your habit and attitude towards work which means achieving more
results with available resources. Productive people achieve more with less,
they bring out the best result from each activity they undertake.
Unfortunately, many people are busy without being productive. They are engaged
in various activities, but with little accomplishment. It all boils down to your attitude to work or
the work habit you have developed over time. If you have a negative attitude
towards work, that is having little or no value for work; it affects your
productivity level. Work tends to require one major resource – Time, and
sometimes it creates an imbalance in a man’s life that make faith and family to
be sidelined.
Here are 9 ways to become productive at work.
- Work
with strategy
Engage your mind, think and develop strategies that will make you work
smarter. It is importance you identify the essential activities, and the best
way to accomplish them. A good strategy helps you create the best method of
achieving your goals.
- Work
with priority
According to Leo Babauta, “Simplicity boils down to two steps: Identify
the essential. Eliminate the rest. Productivity simply means working with the understanding
of what is important to you and your organization, and what adds more value.
- Work
with diligence
Concentrate your efforts on your current task. A persistent effort in
doing something is what produces result. Work as if your life depends on that
work, put in energy and be proud of what you are doing.
- Work
with optimism
Expect the best from your effort. Being optimistic is an attitude you can
develop. Don’t just work for the sake of work, but work with optimism and hope for
a better result.
- Work
with excitement
How enthusiastic are you about your work? Enthusiasm is excitement with
inspiration. This is an attitude that helps you to feel your work, smell it and
even taste it from afar. There are many individuals that are not happy with
what they do. You can’t be excited about your work and not be productive.
- Work as
a steward
Work with the mindset that you are accountable to someone, and that you
must show your score card at the end of your task. Whether you are managing
your business or you were appointed or employed to oversee a task, having that sense
of accountability helps you to track your achievements.
- Work
synergistically
Nothing replaces good relationship in the workplace. Developing the
mindset of working in a cooperative or an interactive manner enhances
productivity because the combined effort of the group is greater than
individual effort. This means to work with value, respect and unity with your
colleagues
- Work
tirelessly
Develop your mind to be your motivator, and draw strength from within
you. Work with a drive and without any form of discouragement
- Work
with target
Set goals, and challenge yourself to achieve it. When a man doesn’t know
where he is going, every where looks like it. There must an anticipated level
of measuring productivity.
Sometimes focusing and doing little is more rewarding than doing more. It
is all about your attitude rather than the work itself. You must make a
decision today to value your work.
Scott Odigie is a Public Speaker and Professional Trainer
on Personal Development, Organisation Motivation and Strategic leadership
