ARE YOU PRODUCTIVE OR JUST BUSY?
I often find that the really "busy" people are not the most productive. A self-proclaimed busy person runs around frazzled all the time saying that they don't have time for anything else while the productive or high performer is quietly innovating in their office.
High performers and busy people likely have the same energy and ambition, however, one person knows how to channel that energy a little better.
How can can you be your most productive?
Pick three things
While a checklist mentality is indicative of a busy person (they are often doing things just to check something off), getting your top things done is a mark of a productive, focused person.
When your to-do list is too big, you often end up not really getting anything done because you are overwhelmed or strategizing on how to get it all done!
Find your most productive time (the morning, for me!) and knock out three of your most important or easy to get done things. It's also good to start with a dreaded task because the momentum will take you through the next task. So make that phone call about the appointment or bill and then knock out the other two things!
As a student, I often found myself overwhelmed when everything was due at the same time. Break it up - study for chemistry one hour, do research for a report for one hour, take a break and then do your other main priority. Once those three things are done, move on or circle back to something you need to spend more time on.
Productive people prioritize
Busy people are often busy doing nothing or busy trying to fill some expectation they have put on themselves (make the perfect meal, send the perfect email, make the perfect presentation). A lot of times these are self-induced pressures and not a good indication of what really needs to get done.
etail pharmacy is busy. Usually there is a priority - help the person waiting, answer the phone, etc.... instead of say, organizing the bins.
High performers know what to spend there time on and what they can either delegate or put a little less effort into.
Which brings me to....
Dont forget the details
Productive people know which details to pay attention to. Some details will take you from good to great and some are just wasted time. The key is to know when you really need to step into - obviously details always matter in prescription filling (never skip steps when it comes to safety!); what about giving a small presentation to two or three peers vs. giving one to the president of the hospital.
In my last job I gave lots of presentations, some were low level, round table discussions and some were to our hospital president detailing our performance improvement projects or medication safety challenges. You can bet that I prioritized one over the other!!
So back to the details - being too "busy" can often leave you unfocused and have you skipping some key details. And when you have to redo something or fix a mistake, you will have spent even more time. So know when it matters and do it right the first time!
Cut distractions
If you really have to get some studying done, sitting in the busiest part of the library is probably not a good idea.
onstantly checking your email can be a huge distraction. Being glued to email and reacting to every small thing can keep you very unfocused. Email is a tool that shouldn't dictate the course of a day (unless in special circumstances you are dealing with a crisis or emergency).
Don't overschedule
Yes, we all want to be involved and in the know, but sometimes you need to take a break and prioritize. Do you really need to go to that meeting that has nothing to do with your current projects? Are there things that could be rescheduled for a week or two? Give yourself small breaks in the day so that you can be your most productive (and avoid burnout) and know when to say no.
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