Episode 34: A surprising way to be more productive

00:00 Before we get going, I have an invitation for you. If you're ready to find out how much easier it becomes to get things done when you have Make It Happen Club in your life? The doors are open to new members right now and i would love for you to join us! So Make It Happen club is a calm quiet sanctuary where you get the clarity focus and motivation you need Hello and welcome to Unfrazzle with me Louise Miller. If you're a solo business owner and you have a big exciting vision and loads of ideas that you want to get out in the world but without drowning in a sea of overwhelm, then this is the podcast for you. Each week I'll be sharing bite-sized insights to help you stop faffing and stay focused so you can make your brilliant ideas happen and make a bigger impact in the world It's time to step away from the hustle and find a kinder more sustainable approach to productivity So grab yourself a cuppa and let's get started

01:31 It's been 18 years since I bought my first book about productivity and i was working as an office manager for a small charity at the time which basically meant doing all the things. And everything was feeling very chaotic and I was desperate to try and regain some control. So since then, I've explored many different ways to get stuff done as efficiently as possible but the approach that really stuck with me and that i believe is the most powerful more powerful than any tips tricks or hacks I was learning in the books I was reading might at first glance appear to have very little to do with productivity at all

02:09 And that is mindfulness. And realizing that mindfulness and productivity actually go hand in hand has informed pretty much everything I've done in my business ever since, so there was a time when mindfulness might conjure up images of coloring books and meditation and beautifully curated Instagram feeds but here's how I like to think about it... At its heart being mindful is simply the opposite of being mindless Because when we're being mindful, we're being intentional. We are actively choosing to do whatever thing we are doing and we are fully engaged and present with that thing And that's what productivity is too right? So it's about making a decision about what activity you are going to focus on and then following through in getting that thing done

02:57 And one of the biggest things that stops people from being as productive as they'd want to is distraction. We might start out with good intentions but we see a notification on our phone, pick it up and before we know it we've spent 20 minutes watching cats riding vacuum cleaners on YouTube or maybe we feel stuck and frustrated with the work that we're doing so decide to check our emails instead! Then there's busy work that might feel important But it's not actually aligned with your goals. Or, you know maybe those tasks that busy work would be better outsourced to someone else and the trouble is when you're moving through your days mindlessly it becomes harder to break those patterns

03:39 You need to be mindful in order to notice and then change them. And that's why I truly believe that mindfulness can be your productivity superpower, and i know that this might cause some eye rolls but indulge me for a moment whilst i talk about meditation! So one misconception about meditation is that you're supposed to stop thinking and if you can't stop thinking then you're doing it wrong But meditation isn't about that, right? Your brain is designed to think. That is its job so you're never going to make that stop! So meditation is actually about noticing when those thoughts pop into your head and then choosing not to engage with them it's about letting those thoughts go and returning to the focus of your meditation gently and without giving yourself a hard time

04:25 And in the same way as meditation won't stop you from thinking, mindfulness won't necessarily stop you from reaching for the distraction that's getting in the way of your productivity. But it will make you more aware. You will notice yourself switching to a different tab on your browser or picking up your phone and once you've noticed that You can then return to the task you're supposed to be doing gently and without giving yourself a hard time. Because, you know, you're probably reaching for that distraction for very valid reasons whether that's discomfort boredom fear uncertainty but over time you will come to realize that it is okay to sit with that discomfort let it be there let it pass and then continue with the task in hand rather than running away from it by diving down a YouTube rabbit hole

05:16 And when you can feel the pull of that distraction but not get swept up in it, in other words when you're able to be mindful. You will surprise yourself at how much more you can get done So what can you do to cultivate a mindfulness practice that's going to help your productivity? So obvious suggestions, it's helpful to practice all of this stuff outside of the work realm in order to kind of build the habit. So suggestions like meditation could just be five minutes spent focusing on your breath that in itself can make a huge difference It might be that you try to stay present and notice the sensations when you're brushing your teeth or taking a shower. Or maybe it's going out for a walk without your phone and tuning into each of your five senses in turn just to practice flexing those paying attention muscles, which is essentially what mindfulness is – it's about paying attention!

06:09 Another idea that you could play with in a more kind of work setting is to set a timer to go off at certain intervals during your working day and then every time you hear that timer ping, that's your cue to check in with yourself. Are you doing in that moment what you'd intended to be doing? Now I'm not sure we can actually be mindful 100% of the time. I think that would actually be pretty exhausting, but imagine what could happen if you were even 5% more present and more intentional during your working day? So that is my invitation for you this week try taking a mindful approach to your productivity

06:46 Try paying attention, noticing when you're wandering off task and choosing to gently return. And it does take repetition and perseverance and self-compassion but it might just be worth it! So as always I hope this helps and I look forward to seeing you again soon Thank you for listening to Unfrazzle. Sharing is caring, so if you loved this episode please share it on your socials or head over to Spotify iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts and leave me a review not only will I be hugely grateful Your ratings and reviews will help others to find this podcast So that even more people can make their ideas happen Thanks so much and see you next time