The Surprising Thing You Should Do If You’re Too Busy

So busy you can’t think? That’s not an uncommon situation for entrepreneurs. You work like crazy to get a flow of clients. Then you work like crazy to do the work that those clients want. It can get to be a cycle of busyness, leading to poor decisions and a negative impact on your well-being and health. Ironically, your productivity suffers too. As busy as you are, the best thing you can do in times like that is to slow down. Slow down! You might be thinking, that’s impossible! It’s not as impossible as you might thing. More about that in a second. Beyond your immediate panic about how you’re going to get it all done, slowing down isn’t so simple on another level. Research shows that in our knowledge-intensive economy, being busy signals high status. That’s a package deal that can be hard to give up easily. But…the benefits are big. Your productivity gets a significant boost when you take time to slow down and think. First of all, you get a chance to breathe and release some tension from your body and mind. Relief! Then you can start to ask yourself some really good questions to unbusy yourself: Q1. Is everything I’m doing essential? Is there anything I can let go? Check in with your get-to-do list and revisit your priorities. Q2. Can anyone else handle a part of or all of this? Even if I add in the time to explain it to someone else, will it ultimately save me time? Q3. How can I declutter my calendar? Say no more often, with grace. Cancel anything that doesn’t allow you to have the impact you want to have. Q4. How do I reduce distractions? Single task it so you can focus, and put a muzzle on your devices. Q5. Where can I schedule in breaks? I work in 1 hour 10 minute chunks, and then take a break for 15 minutes. Even those breathers can help. Build in some exercise. Reconnect with friends and family with an activity or dinner. You’ll get new perspective. Want to avoid the busy trap in your business? Slow down if you get too busy, so you can think and gain needed perspective to tap into your impact purpose. You’ll get your mojo back.