How to be More Productive

Powerfully Choosing to Slow Down to Speed Up

Slowing down to speed up.

If you have been around me, listened to my podcasts or read my blogs you know that I love saying this phrase.  It’s such a simple phrase that holds weight and power.  It resonates with everyone, no matter our age or stage in life.  It crosses the boundaries of industries, careers, occupations.  It truly can mean something to everyone if you choose to let it.

Our lives can get faster and faster, and we think that multi-tasking and speeding everything up is going to make us more productive and help us get shit done but in fact many times this can have the opposite effect.

Slowing down to speed up means being more intentional with our time, one of our most precious resources that I don’t know that we fully appreciate. It means being selective in the work, tasks, or activities that we do. It means powerfully choosing only to do the things that are fulfilling and bring us joy.

We have talked about the seasons of DOing and seasons of BEing, and each one has its place and is important. One can’t exist without the other. GSDers are thought to only be individuals who live in seasons of DOing, but in reality, they have many more seasons of BEing as they use these times to rest, recharge, reset, and maybe even recalibrate. It makes their seasons of DOing that much more impactful.

I have the honor of talking to and mentoring many entrepreneurs. Often, as they are getting started, they believe they have to do all the things yesterday or now. This leads very quickly to feelings of being overwhelmed and burnt out. I gently remind them that some of the greatest things, be they inventions, innovations, or things that carry historical significance, were not built in a day but benefitted from the gift of time and space.

This summer has been a season of slowing down professionally as I navigate some pivots.  Giving myself the gift of space to breathe and slow down has been invaluable.  Giving myself space has looked a little different with each passing day or week based on what’s going on with work or family.  Sometimes that looks like moments of silence.  Sometimes that just looks like a few minutes to be intentional with my breath.  Sometimes that looks like taking a nap or taking a walk.  Whatever space I give myself, I strive to be present in that moment.

Space for each person can and should look different.  We are all uniquely and beautifully made and therefore are wired differently which means we need a bespoke approach to what giving ourselves space looks like and what our slowing-down needs are.

School is returning in the near future which means my tiny humans will be embarking on their new chapters and adventures.  That also means I’ll be getting back to a more regular routine but as I was planning with my team we are going to be more intentional with space.  We are going to be more mindful of seasons of slowing down to speed up.  By doing this we are being intentional about space which will give way to creativity, productivity, and getting shit done.