Productive vs. Just Active

Last year I read the book, The 4-Hour Work Week written by Timothy Ferriss. Timothy has some great ideas for cutting down on working hours and increasing relaxation and travel which he refers to as ‘mini retirement vacations’. He speaks a good deal on eliminating time-wasters, being productive, and making wise choices with your time. In the chapter, The End of Time Management, Timothy asks a question that really stuck with me. In fact, I have the question printed and hanging in my office as a visual reminder. The question is this, “Am I inventing things to do to avoid the important?” In other words, Am I being productive or just active?

Before reading the book, I thought that cleaning my house was ‘being productive’. Instead, I was cleaning my house to avoid the ‘important’ things (the action items that would push my career forward and continue to grow my business). I now ask myself each morning, “What am I going to do today that will make me money?” (As a small business owner working out of my home, making money is important!) I still clean my house, but I make sure not to clean it during business hours. This simple question has really helped me make wiser choices with my time.

So I ask you that same question now, “Are you inventing things to do to avoid the important?”