My greatest productivity hack of the week…

… was an hour long walk with my dog at the start of the day on Wednesday.

It involved no to do list or time management software or other genius intervention that would have me grapple time and fit it neatly in to boxes.

It involved me moving my body, letting my mind wander and taking in big lungfuls of fresh air.

My belief is that managing time is as real as magician’s trick. It might look clever but it’s an illusion.

Some days drag and we get nothing done. Other days whizz by and we fly through our to do list and feel like a productivity ninja.

This has nothing to do with time.

It has everything to do with energy.

And what we have energy for.

And how far we have prioritised replenishing that energy.

And to what extent we are pushing through, exhausted and stressed and dissatisfied.

Time bends. An hour can feel like a minute can feel like a day can feel like a moment.

So what can we do?

For me, it’s the energy that matters. What do I have energy for? Anything? Nothing? Everything? This is the key to my productivity – or let’s say fruitfulness, much more organic and in line with our human-ness.

My long walk with the dog allowed me to think, get clarity, release some stress and worry and to re-energise my body. It replenished my spirit.

I came back from that walk clear-headed, motivated and excited about the tasks I had allocated for the day.

And I completed those tasks in flow, with ease. Time flew.

We can work with the illusion that as humans we can manage the vastness of time but really we can only manage ourselves. Our energy, our choices, our priorities, our decisions.

What do you have energy for today? What is your body telling you it needs? What difference would it make to your fruitfulness to listen to that?

|| Caroline Doran || Coach | Facilitator | Trainer || Book a call here ||