▼ CLICK BELOW TO EXPLORE ▼
A DECADE+ OF STORYTELLING POWERED BY THE BEST WRITERS ON THE PLANET

Do You Suffer From Activity Addiction?

“I’ve fallen into this trap too many times. In my mind, I tell myself if I’m busy, I’m adding value.  But am I really?”

THIS WAS SAID by an overworked, over stressed manager who, during coaching, was reflecting and evaluating the results he was getting. The reality is that we can be busy about the wrong things. And, if we don’t discipline our lives, we’ll find ourselves investing a lot of our time with little impact.

Some leaders have this ailment called activity addiction. They think that having their plate overflowing each day means that they are excelling at their job. Being busy is not the same as being effective.

Truthfully, some highly effective people are not overly busy. They have learned to focus on priorities, not activities; to delegate but not micro-manage; and to discern when to act and when to let it go.

The most effective managers today are not addicted to being busy; rather, they are addicted to getting measurable results by doing the right things, in the right way and at the right time.

People think focus means saying yes to the things they have to work on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are.

So Pick Carefully!

Get together with your boss, team or board in the next week and answer these 6 questions:

  1. What are the key things we have to accomplish this quarter?
  2. Which are the most important or has the highest priority?
  3. Why are they important to our team or organization?
  4. When are our deadlines? How firm or how flexible?
  5. Who are the key people or groups we must satisfy?
  6. When faced with competing tasks or requests:
    – What do we say yes to?
    – What do we say no to?
    – What do we put aside to later?

Smart Moves Tip:

Make sure your time is used to its best advantage. If you’re like most hard-charging leaders, you have a long to-do list and feel proud of it. Now take another look. Start a stop-doing list. Effective leaders have developed the discipline to stop doing anything and everything that doesn’t lead to the results they want.

Marcia Zidle
Marcia Zidlehttp://www.smartmovescoach.com
Marcia Zidle, The Smart Moves Coach, is a national known board certified coach and keynote leadership speaker who guides organizations that are planning, or in the midst of, ambitious growth and change. As a career strategist, she works with professionals, managers and executives who want to build • shape • brand • change • vitalize their careers. She’s been selected by LinkedIn’s ProFinder as one of the best coaches for 2016!Her clients range from private owned businesses to mid-market companies to professional service firms to NGO’s. With 25 years of management, business consulting and international experience, she brings an expertise in executive and team leadership; employee engagement and innovation; personal and organization change; career building and development; emotional and social intelligence. Your Future Starts Now With Marcia!

DO YOU HAVE THE "WRITE" STUFF? If you’re ready to share your wisdom of experience, we’re ready to share it with our massive global audience – by giving you the opportunity to become a published Contributor on our award-winning Site with (your own byline). And who knows? – it may be your first step in discovering your “hidden Hemmingway”. LEARN MORE HERE


5 CONVERSATIONS

  1. I know this is my old fashioned view of things – but busy looks industrious. Thinking quietly, pensively, intently and asking the questions like you’ve listed, gives the appearance of doing nothing. Looks are deceiving. They have been in the past and they still are. Bring on the questions and instead of buzzing around looking busy – be busy asking high quality questions and THINKING through the right answers.

  2. It’s way too easy to fall into the habit of doing things for the sake of doing things. If you’re like me, you’ll hit a wall, and refuse to let that wall break you. You break through the wall and every wall after that — without realizing you are also breaking yourself in the process. You lose your health, your energy, and the enjoyment you receiving spending with others.

    You’re definitely happier and more satisfied when you work to achieve something that keeps you healthy and energized.

    • Chris, your comment reminds me of a Steve Jobs quote:
      “People think focus means saying yes to the things you have to work on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully.”

RECIPIENT OF THE 2024 "MOST COMPREHENSIVE LIFE & CULTURE MULTIMEDIA DIGEST" AWARD

WE ARE NOW FEATURED ON

EXPLORE 360° NATION

ENJOY OUR FREE EVENTS

OUR COMMUNITIES