Do you too have the impression that most people these days are crazy about becoming more productive? Essentially, professionals often want to escape the overscheduled world we live in without having to sacrifice their financial success. Others simply want to be super efficient at work and overtake their competitors.
In the race to commercialise the general population’s frustrations, most successful entrepreneurs recognise the single most important method of marketing: to promise the masses a way out.
Hence, many motivational speakers have been delivering their speeches to boost people’s energy levels and self-esteem – and that’s great! It has helped many of us achieve the things we were afraid to even dream of.
Business and life coaches’ missions are to skilfully question their clients and prompt them to find the best answers and solutions for themselves, their families and businesses. I’ve seen and made that happen so I truly believe in the power of coaching as a self-development technique.
And then there are those who, in my opinion, take it one step too far and promise us, no offence, pie in the sky. A book with the self-explanatory title The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich is a worldwide blockbuster. Having heard of such popular concepts, some people start to believe that it’s possible to be so well-organised that working only a few hours a week can bring in a financial success. I personally know a man who suffered from depression because he blamed himself for not being efficient enough to successfully combine a demanding career, family life and still have the time for hobbies, social life and leisure.
Sadly, no one explained to this man that the 4 hour-work does not mean ‘working’ for four hours and spending the rest of the time for leisure or whatever you fancy doing BUT dedicating those four hours to generating a significant amount of income and the rest of your workweek to any activities which are related to the nature of your business, e.g. marketing, sales or PR campaigns. It’s common knowledge that financially successful people work approx. 60 hours a week UNTIL they have built their expertise and a very strong market position.
That’s the reality. There are, however, many ways to become better organised and more productive as a result. Here are some of the methods which save me, other managers and business owners time on a daily basis.
It has already been said on so many occasions, but nothing I can agree with more than the statement that a happy person has the ability to make the time for the things which are the most important in their life.
Thanks for reading!
This is a really good article Marta. I wonder how such a young person can so professionally approach every difficult subject. My boss leaving the job asked me why I was still working. I said I had to finish something. Then he said: work on organizing your work and you will not have to sacrifice your private time.
Thank you, Sir. Being productive is as difficult a subject as exciting, and there are dozens of ways to master the art of it. But you know that, experience helps big time in that matter ? Let’s exchange best ideas when we catch up!