How to Balance Productivity and Worry
Getting organized, understanding what needs accomplished, and making the best use of our time is important for every professional. Do you worry about obstacles, roadblocks, and asteroids? How do you balance productivity and worry?
Worth Worry?
We can worry about many things. Worry if our car can make the trip, if it will start in sub-zero temperatures, or if the air conditioning system will still function properly next season.
We may worry about paying for taxes, the age of the windows in our home or the roof over our head.
Career driven people may worry if they are on track, how the Company is doing, and will they get the promotion or do they need to find a new job.
People can worry chronically, about their life, their health, or how they’ll cover their MasterCard bill.
Worry can be disabling. Worry is stress, discomfort, anxiety, and more. It can turn to physical problems including illness or even death.
Does worry have any value? Worrying about tire pressure or wearing a seat belt has value. It makes us safer. So does wearing a helmet on a bicycle or motorcycle. Being conscious of debt to income ratio and the cost of food and housing also has some value.
Does thinking about risk and labeling it worry have any value? Will it make you more productive? Can it make you less productive?
Balance Productivity and Worry
What you accomplish in one hour today is worth a lot to you. How much you worry during an hour probably not so much.
Worrying and risk assessment has value when it causes us to alter our behaviors or habits into more productive outcomes. Consider a safer commute to work, with a seat belt, appropriate speed, and no texting. Mindful management of debt and paying the mortgage instead of taking a luxurious trip also has some value.
When you want to be both productive and successful you’ll have to decide how you want to spend your time and energy. Will you balance productivity and worry? Worry will destroy your energy, but productivity expands it.
Avoid the distractions that keep you from your best work.
– DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
