Why Slowing Down Actually Makes You More Productive

Do you want to learn how to get more done, and have more time for what is truly important to you? Among busy professionals and business owners, there is much emphasis placed on "time management." The focus usually is on arranging your priorities, delegating, and choosing what really needs to be done. All of these are important components to time management.

However, there is one important perspective that often is left out of this equation...we don't manage time--we manage ourselves within time. When we talk about time management what we are really talking about is self-management. We all get the same amount of time each day, and we are left to choose how we manage ourselves within that period of time. If we don't manage ourselves well within that time, we feel scattered, stressed, and pulled to meet the multiple demands placed on us by others. We feel our lives are out of balance, and we go searching for ways to experience more balance. We complain,"There just is not enough time in the day to get it all done!"

Instead of feeling pulled to meet all of the demands you feel are placed on you, let's take another perspective. Envision the next 24 hours as a blank slate. You are in control of how you will manage yourself within that time period. You get to choose. Ask yourself, "How do I really want to experience the next 24 hours?" Notice I did not ask you what you want "to do" in the next 24 hours, rather I asked you how you want to experience the next 24 hours.

Given the conscious choice, most of us would choose to relax and enjoy the next 24 hours. Yet, in actuality, we tend to focus on the "To Do" list, which opens the gateway to feeling rushed and pressured. We always have a choice. We can choose to enjoy the next 24 hours, or we can choose to feel rushed and pressured. Slow down, turn on some soothing music, put some flowers on your desk, take a few deep breaths, and have a better experience of your time!

You can still work through tasks on your To Do list, but if you shift your focus from how much you are getting done to how you want to experience your day, it feels a lot better. You will be more relaxed. When you are relaxed, you are focused, more effective, and more productive.