Being Productive
There is a significant difference between working hard and being productive. Allow me to illustrate through the story of two woodsmen.
This is a story about two hearty woodsmen who were hired by a property owner to clear his land. They were about the same size and age and came to the job with equal experience. Each set out at the same time in a different direction to fell trees. And they each worked the same number of hours each day.
On the third day the landowner set out to survey the progress each woodsman had made. When he came back that evening, he noted that one of the woodsmen had cut down a significantly greater number of trees. “How is this possible,” he asked. The trees on either side of his property were about the same size, the woodsmen left and returned at the same time each day, but one cut significantly more trees. The one confessed that he took an hour each day to eat lunch and rest, assuming that the other took a similar amount of time off. The second one said, however, that he also took an hour off but that he sharpened his axe for half of this time.
So how does this apply? How was greater production achieved? This story has been told in various forms and in different ways that illustrate the important point that everybody, everywhere, seems to be busy. Most people are just too busy doing and trying to achieve that they do not take the necessary time to renew themselves, to learn and grow—to sharpen the “axe”.
How do we go about this? Dr. Stephen R Covey defined “Sharpen Your Saw (or Axe)” to be increasing your personal productivity, by having a balanced strategy to renew yourself in the four aspects of life: Physical, Social, Mental, and Spiritual. These are four important areas to remember as we move through this very busy Christmas season and into the new year.
I will admit that I am not very good at following his advice. You must find simple ways that work for you. For example, I exercise when I leave my dog out several times each day, as she must search for that “perfect spot” to do her business. Each period doesn’t take all that long, but they add up.
Social is a little easier during the Holidays in that there are generally many different opportunities. The difficulty is in finding balance and especially some “me” time in the process. How about mental? Make time to at least start that new book, listen to a podcast, or read an article. Take notes for later reference. I received eight new books to read and have committed to get at them, right after the new year.
The Holidays are a time, in particular, to get your Spiritual self together. Renew your faith as you consider the tremendous gift given us by God. Share what you believe with others. Take significant time to pray, giving thanks for all your blessings. God has been very good to me!
The real challenge is when you get through the Christmas season and go back to the everyday routines of life. Focus on staying on, staying on, building upon the experiences of this season. The TRUTH is that you can and will be so much more productive by finding real balance in your life, sharpening your axe through finding the things you need to do to increase your personal productivity.