The following is a guest post by fellow blogger/writer Nacie Carson. Nacie writes about personal development issues on her blog “The Life Uncommon“.
Ever since I left the corporate world to work for myself two years ago, I have been fascinated by the concept of productivity. How to get more done, accomplish more, see better quality, and then – as a reward – be able to enjoy greater and more satisfying periods of rest truly intrigue me.
My interest in the art and science of productivity began when I first started working from home in 2008. After months in a cubicle, I was thrilled to run my own schedule, work where I wanted, and focus on the business I wanted to do. However, within a few weeks I found that getting things done was a lot harder than it looked. “I was so productive when I worked at Company X,” I thought, “Why am I not getting the same result now that I am working for myself?”
I started investigating productivity techniques, tips and tricks, and found a wealth of information both online and in books to help me form actionable strategies. But I soon found that within a few days of implementing a new strategy my productivity level would slip back down again. What was the deal?
The problem was obvious, and the solution simple: the issue was my state of mind.
There are two elements that come together to shape our lives: state of action and state of mind. Our state of action (or sometimes inaction) can be defined by the physical things we are engaging in, such as looking, eating, writing, thinking, or laughing. Our state of mind (or sometimes mindlessness) is best explained as the intention behind our action, such as focusing on a goal.
When these two elements are in tandem, the result is the completely unique and amazing feeling of being “in the groove,” something we have all experienced at least once or twice. However, when these elements are out of sync or opposing, the result is frustration, anxiety, and contradiction.
Productivity is no different.
Optimal productivity, I discovered, is the direct result of our state of action coordinating and complementing our state of mind. Sub-optimal or inconsistent productivity comes when our actions do not mesh with our mindset.
My own efforts to be more productive were being thwarted by my own mindset, or lack thereof. While my actions were focused on fitting more into my hours, my mind was wandering off on a completely different path, thinking about what I would eat for lunch or how I should develop that fictional character.
This may sound ridiculous and obvious to you; trust me, when I caught myself doing it I was appalled. But how many times have you had 70% of your mind focused on the task at hand and the rest focused on everything else imaginable? I’m willing to wager more than you’d like to admit.
As soon as I focused 100% of my effort back onto my tasks, I found my productivity improved dramatically. Suddenly I was getting more done, and even better tasks seemed less arduous. Everything just felt “smoother” – that is the only way I can describe it.
So if you are feeling like you just can’t get in the groove, I recommend you take a deep breath and spend a few minutes gauging where your mind is really at: are you 100% present in your task, engaged in a productivity mindset, or are you mentally spread across different thought threads?
Nacie Carson is a personal development specialist who explores authenticity, entrepreneurialism, and the keys to success at The Life Uncommon.