Mindful Productivity: How to Get More Done without Burnout

We live in a world where the pace of life at work and at home can seem to deliver a deluge of ever-increasing, never-ending to-do lists. Write the blog, answer the client questions, manage the social media posts, check on the team, pick up the groceries, make that appointment…and on it goes. 

This kind of pace can lead you down a frantically fast road to burnout if you don’t become mindful of how you are feeling and the realistic steps you can take to get things done, with less stress.

Why doing too much can sometimes lead to fewer results.

So many of us think that multitasking is the best way to get through all the things we have to do but the research shows that it reduces your comprehension, attention, and overall performance. In other words, every diversion has a cognitive cost negatively affects your results.

That is because our brains can only focus on one thing at a time, and multitasking makes it shift back and forth between your tasks. While your brain might be quick at it, trying to do multiple things is never as efficient as focusing on just one. 

This is especially true in business. Try to launch too many products or services at one time, and you end up diluting your marketing budget, your customers’ attention, and your sales. If you want to improve your bottom line, it’s better to launch one and put all of your attention and effort on it.  Once that product is performing the way you want, turn your attention to the next one and do the same thing.

Streamlining your focus in this way will deliver far greater results. 

How does mindfulness help productivity?

Mindful productivity takes into account your to-do list, the way you are feeling right now, and your times of greatest efficiency.

When I am feeling overwhelmed, I like to look at my to-do list and pick a few easy things that I can get done quickly to create momentum. From there, it’s easier to keep moving toward the tasks that are bigger or more difficult. 

It’s also important to listen to your body and be compassionate to yourself. There will be days when you are feeling under the weather or just plain tired. On those days, recognize that you probably aren’t going to deliver your best work. In this case, either focus on things that are easy to accomplish and don’t require a lot of your stamina to complete or allow yourself to enter into a “first draft” mode. 

A “first draft” is where you get down your ideas and the basic structure of the task, and then you edit afterward to make it your best work. Usually, this applies to writing, but you can use it for learning new tasks or outlining a new strategy. Like developing a “minimum viable product,” you go in with the mindset that you will make this better as you move forward. This way you are still getting things done, but without the pressure that reaching for perfection out of the gate can bring. 

Finally, to excel with mindful productivity, knowing when you do your best work is critical. Some people are at their best first thing in the morning and find it harder to focus later in the day. Others are the opposite and have a slow start to the day and do their best work at night. Notice when you do your best work and set your goals accordingly. 

For example, a morning person would schedule the things that require their full attention or most creativity first thing in the morning and leave less critical tasks, like emails or returning phone calls, for later in the day when their attention to detail isn’t as sharp. 

Mindful productivity takes greater self-awareness. The better you understand yourself and your needs, the more productive you will be. 

Benefits of setting realistic goals.

Realistic goal setting is essential for getting more done and avoiding burnout. Setting SMART goals is a great way to start. They will help you stretch yourself and ensure you’re setting goals that are aligned with your bigger vision. 

If you have more on your list than you can realistically handle, think about the tasks you can delegate. Even if you don’t have a team, you very likely have people in your life who would be willing to help and who might be far more effective at specific tasks, which increases productivity all around. The more you can focus on the things you are good at, the more you can get done!

It’s also good to remember that not everything on your list has to be done right now, even if it might feel that way. Take the time to evaluate your to-do list:

• Which tasks are truly urgent and need to be done immediately? Prioritize those first.
• Which can wait until later in the day, tomorrow, or even later in the week? Schedule those appropriately.
• Are there any tasks that you love to do? You can use these as rewards when you get something from your priority list completed. 

Once you have your priority list, turn off all your notifications, set a timer, and focus on getting the first task done. When you give yourself a specific amount of time to complete a task, you might be surprised at the level of productivity you can reach using this kind of highly focused time management!

Whether it’s for your daily or weekly to-do list, tackling your New Year’s goal, or making your bigger vision come to life, practicing mindful productivity will help you get more done and avoid burnout. 

If you think you might need more information to get better at time management, CLICK HERE FOR MY FREE RESOURCE: HOW TO MANAGE YOUR TIME EFFECTIVELY | 5 SIMPLE TIPS FOR TIME MANAGEMENT. 

It will give you the steps to become more productive and feel more capable, confident, and accomplished too!