it seems to me that being busy has become somewhat of a proud thing. If a person speaks of a hectic schedule with tons of things to do and little time to spare, it somehow gives him/her an air of doing something important. However, being busy and being productive are two different things.
Busyness is the mere fact that you do a lot of things while productivity implies doing things that get you somewhere.
For instance, spending your whole day on checking emails, responding to notifications, going to useless meetings and constantly switching tasks can be very busy but not necessarily productive.
Multitasking can also have a negative impact on efficiency as it has been proved by research. The fact that one constantly switches his/her attention from one task to another prevents him/her from concentrating on the important stuff.
Sometimes the most productive day of a person can be quite quiet.
Without any notifications or small tasks, just the important thing gets done.
I am starting to believe that productivity is not about doing more, but rather about doing what is actually worth it.
Suppose you have ten tasks to complete on your to-do list, but after accomplishing eight of them, you realize that none of them was especially significant. You might still feel tired by the end of the day, while there is an important task left.
This is where being busy may become misleading.
Having breaks can also be productive. Human attention and energy are not infinite, and working all the time does not mean working effectively. Taking a break, getting some rest, sleeping, or just taking a walk might make you come back with more focus.
However, I do not think that the solution is in avoiding working hard. There might be some goals that require putting in a lot of work. The thing is that you need to know where that effort is going.
A hectic schedule does not equal a productive day.
To me, being productive means making progress towards my goals through the work I am doing.
Being busy means filling your day. Being productive means giving it a sense.
