Are you “Too Busy” or are you “Productive”

Are you someone that perceives being “too busy” as a sign of success or a status symbol?  This may not cause you stress, however in some cases it leads to chronic stress that starts to impact on people’s lives.

If you identify with most of these five symptoms, busyness may be getting out of hand.

Always looking for something?

Do you spend a lot of time looking for misplaced items? Too much Cortisol, the hormone released when we are stressed, can lead to memory problems. When we are stressed, our thoughts tend to be scattered and this in turn can mean we lose track of things.

 

Overreacting to the smallest irritations?

If our minds are overloaded we are more likely to get stressed, this makes it more difficult to process situations and information, and we can feel less tolerant towards mistakes. If this is coupled with poor sleep we may also be lacking in serotonin that plays a role in calming us down during stressful situations.

 

Waking up feeling tired?

Morning fatigue is a common sign that you are overworked and overscheduled. If you get an overwhelming feeling of tiredness after you wake up, even though you may have slept, your busy mind has not switched off.

 

Frequent headaches?

Tension headaches are most common sign of chronic stress. When we are stressed muscles contract in response and this can lead to muscle spasm in the upper back, neck and scalp.

 

Feelings of unhappiness?

Long term stress can cause hormone and brain disturbances. When people have been exposed to long periods of stress they can fall into feelings of sadness or depression.

If you are always “too busy,” try keeping an activity log for the next week. You may be surprised at how you spend your time each day.

“Productive” people are great at using these methods to achieve their goals.

Only put three items on your to-do-list each morning. The most important things you need to accomplish each day. This will help you remain focused.

Single-Task at a time. Doing three things at once may feel like being extra productive, however by focusing on one task at a time you will be more productive and fully immersed in the task.

Avoid saying yes to everything. Give yourself time to decide if the task on offer will help or hinder you accomplish your key goals. If it does not fit in it may be better to say no.

Lastly, however you like to work, we all need downtime. Give yourself time each week to get fresh air, spend time with friends and family and switch off from your day to day commitments. You will be more productive as a result.

This blog was provided by Emma Skilton Independent Consultant