How true is the above diagram? This post almost doesn’t need any more words, does it? ;-)

I’ve been discussing this with lots of people over the past few weeks. What I’ve found fascinating is that although many of us innately know what helps us be more productive, we don’t create enough space for it in our lives. In fact, we often wait until breaking point physically, emotionally and mentally, before seeking help. Why?

It seems to be a combination of the following:

Running on autopilot and not stopping to reflect on what gives us energy, nourishes us and helps us be more productive in the first place (hint: try out some of the above suggestions!).
Our brains trying to be overly helpful yet generating a series of seemingly urgent short-term objectives that sabotage our long-term productivity (often around diet and exercise).
Engaging in a myriad of distracting activities to achieve immediate gratification and fuel our dopamine addictions (hello iPhones and social media!)*.
Being so busy and overloaded with commitments that doesn’t seem to be space for anything else (many of our clients are in this situation)

You may find it useful to keep a copy of the above image somewhere that you see it regularly, as a reminder and thought-prompter. You might also like to spend some time drawing your current and desired pie charts and noticing where the gaps are. Bonus point challenge: Dig a little deeper and experiment by setting some goals around your sleep, diet, exercise and plan that next holiday! :)

*Check out this helpful (and very detailed) article for tips to reduce your iPhone addiction and be more productive…