Only completing what’s essential. Sounds pretty easy right?
Most of this post is inspired by the book Essentialism by Greg McKeown.
Have you ever showed up to work and were busy all day and looked back at the end of the day and felt like you didn’t get anything done? Now you might’ve been doing tasks all day but weren't productive. There’s a difference between being busy and being productive. Busyness is running around all day looking productive, and feeling productive, but not doing what is essential.
Essentialism is the disciplined pursuit of less.
Check out this quote from Greg Mckeown:
“Essentialism is not about how to get more things done; it's about how to get the right things done. It doesn’t mean doing less for the sake of less either. It is about making the wisest possible investment of your time and energy to operate at our highest point of contribution by doing only what is essential.”
How many times have you put together quotes and spent a lot of time and energy thinking you got the job but you never ended up getting it can be demotivating. How many times have you given something your best and then found out a client doesn’t like it so you have to rip it all out and start over. Busyness is the enemy of progress.
We need to be calculated in our efforts more than in the past to remain competitive in the changing industry. We need all our efforts to maximize results to save ourselves time and money. Our industry is stretched thin in terms of quality tradespeople. We can never get time back so if we aren’t using it to our benefit it’s using us to its benefit! Not all content on social media, the news and magazines are meant for us to consume. It’s impossible to digest all the latest trends, TV shows, movies and sports updates. Pick a couple that you truly love and ignore the rest.
I know you’ll like this German saying: Weniger aber besser. (don’t ask me how this is said) but it means “less but better.”
Where in your life can we use less but better? Less fast food, better full meals? Less kids sports but better family time together? Less couch time with your spouse but better time playing board games? Less betting on all sports, more time enjoying playing golf once a week?
Let me know what you are going to cut out this week so you can gain elsewhere!
See you in the pit!
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