Busy VS Productive. Do you know the difference?

There's all sorts of catch phrases out there, isn't there?

Phrases such as "working in your business instead of on your business." "Be productive, not busy." The list goes on. A lot of it gets lost in translation though, doesn't it?

Can I take a minute to break it down for you? Would that help?

Let's face the facts, busy doesn't mean profitable or that there's any sort of revenue growth. It's not hard to be busy. Administrative work, updating contacts in your client relationship management system (CRM).  Maybe even you're still in the 1990-2000's and still using paper and constantly updating and filing documents.

The non-business version: cutting your lawn, fixing up your car or doing other maintenance work around your home. Is it important? Yes! However, it's busy work that you likely have no business doing. Why not compensate someone for their time? Someone who enjoys these tasks, so you can focus on the things that light you up in all the right ways?

You see, we have been lied to our entire lives. We have been told if we work harder, work longer, put in extra hours we will come out on top, come out ahead, if we are lucky, and maybe one day we can "retire" and enjoy our lives. We have been fed a dream that just doesn't work.

We have been told that if we do that little bit extra, shoulder all the responsibility for everything ourselves, we will get better. That's just not the case!

Hold on a second!

Before you tell me off, keep reading and bare with me for a second. The secret sauce here is not to work harder, but to work SMARTER. You see, there are a lot of tasks which do not directly drive revenue. Take a look at your business, your process, break each item down by $ earned. The task (or two) that pay you the most per hour are the ONLY tasks that should be focused on or effort put into.

There are a lot of day-to-day busy work, like grocery shopping, maintenance on a house or car, social media and technology as a whole, that keep us away from doing the things that actually help us enjoy life!

But, what about the rest? We can't just let the rest of our duties fall to the wayside, can we? Absolutely not. That's where the critical difference between working ON your business and working IN your business comes.

What's the deal here?

The tasks that aren't helping you produce the revenue or profit you're desiring are classified as working IN your business. These tasks likely can be automated, or at the very least, outsourced. Technology is not evil, the devil or a sin. Technology = productivity. The more productive we can be in a shorter amount of time the better.

Why?

More productivity in less time has quite a few benefits. You have more freedom & time to enjoy what you love. You can be more PRESENT when you're spending time with your family. No more working deals over dinner or missing the winning soccer goal for a text during the children's soccer game.

No more struggling to get applications completed during date night with the spouse.

No more struggling to lose the weight you need to see your toes in the shower again! (after how many years?)

With the proper systems and infrastructure in place in your business, it opens up a whole new avenue for productivity, more freedom, more time, more PROFIT. After all, the more profitable you are the more clients you can help. The more clients you help the more impact you make on society. And that's why you got into business, isn't it? To make a massive impact and make massive profits?

Well then, what are you waiting for?

Where can you disengage your ego, stop being busy for the sake of having things to do, so you can focus on what really matters to you - your health, longevity and family?