Are You Being Productive or Just Being Busy?

Are You Being Productive or Just Being Busy?

October 22, 2005

Are You Being Productive or Just Being Busy?

Did you know that there is a gigantic difference between
having a productive day versus simply having a busy day?

I can’t tell you how many people I know, whom I have worked
with personally, who thought they were being productive in
their home businesses, only to find out that they were
simply staying busy conducting menial tasks that meant
nothing to their bottom line.

In the end, the only thing that matters is production. Ask
yourself, “What did I produce today?”
In fact, here’s a great tip to help keep you on track. I do
it. It works!

Take out a piece of paper and write down the following
words:

What did I produce today?

Now, post it someplace you have to see it daily. Put it on
the bathroom mirror or your computer monitor.
Put it someplace where you cannot miss it. This is crucial.
Read it daily and ask yourself this simple question.

If you want to make it in this industry, you must produce.
Being busy doesn’t cut it. Being productive is all that
matters.

This means, focus your time on conducting revenue-producing
activities. If it doesn’t make you money, then don’t do it.

I have yet to meet a person who makes money dusting his
desk, organizing his leads or cleaning up his office files.

You must spend your limited time in production mode. We are
all limited to 24 hours in any given day.
The question you have to ask yourself is, “How am I
spending my valuable time?”

Here are some tips to help you make sure you stay on track
and in production mode, and avoid simply “being busy.”

1. If you are involved in building a network, spend all of
your prospecting, presenting, closing and training. Nothing
else really matters.

2. If you need to conduct tasks that keep you “busy” (
producing training documents for your team, etc.), do it
during your down time. In other words, do these things when
you can’t be making phone calls, such as late at night or
very early in the morning.

3. Track yourself and conduct regular self-checks. Log the
number of outgoing dials, presentations you made, messages
you’ve left, etc.
This will help ensure you are on the right path before it’s
too late.

Making it in this industry is simple. Proper application of
the right activities on a daily basis will produce
consistent results.

Failure is just as simple. Application of the wrong
activities — and not recognizing that you are doing the
wrong things — will consistently produce nothing but
frustration and disappointment.

This profession works. Building networks works. However,
you have to work — doing the right things — in order for it
to work for you.