Tired and busy all the time

I remember when I started working at a bank in the marketing department, whenever I asked someone how they were, they would look down, shake their head and say they are “tired” because they are so busy.

It was nearly always the same response.

First, I thought it was a default way to signal to the bosses that you are working hard.

Over time, I changed my mind.

My colleagues were indeed tired. And yes, they were busy.

But they were busy with things that were not important at all — pulling together data, filling out unnecessary forms, joining meetings about meetings, waiting for responses, updating up or down.

And worst of all — I found myself soon falling into that trap. I hardly had any time to do real work.

I decided I didn’t want to live that way.

I decided to focus my time on doing actual work and taking on projects, rather than be busy with things that don’t move the needle.

It made such a huge impact on my productivity that I was promoted twice in three years. It turns out, people don’t really care about all the non-essential work, as long as you deliver big on the important stuff.

And likewise, in life, we spend a lot of time on non-essential stuff, instead of focusing on the essential things.

Today’s Prompts

Focusing on the right things

What activities in your daily routine feel busy and productive, but don’t contribute to your goals?

What does your ideal productive day look like?

Quote of the day

"Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things." – Peter Drucker

4 - The 'If you don’t have time’ Prompt

What are three unnecessary tasks you can remove from your schedule this week?

Get the most out of your journalling:

• Choose one prompt: Focus on just one prompt each day to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

• Be brutally honest: Reflect openly and honestly. This is your safe space to explore your thoughts and feelings.

• Take your time: Sometimes it takes a few days to clarify your thinking. Here’s permission for you to take your time to unravel a prompt and not take on any new ones during that time.

• Journal your way: Whether you prefer writing, audio recording, or video, choose the method that suits you best.

• Don't stress about streaks: If you miss a day, don't worry. You can always revisit a previous prompt.

I’d love your feedback

What was your favourite prompt of the day? Is there any specific challenge you want prompts for? How can I improve the content of the newsletter? Reply this mail and let me know!