« Magic Dust |Home| Joy Links-September 1, 2007 »
Productivity Flow
By karen | August 31, 2007
There is a oft-used productivity tool out there. It probably works for some people. If it works for you that is wonderful. Never quite worked for me though. I’ll tell you why.
What you do is figure out how much money you want to make in a year and then break it down into an hourly wage. For example, if I want to make $1,000,000.00 this year and I break it down that would mean that my hourly “wage” is $480. 76, if I work a 40 hour workweek. So essentially, what it means is that if I am doing anything less than “work” that is worth $480.76 an hour then I am losing money and time.
This productivity tool definitely came out of the “you gotta work hard for money” camp. To actually put a monetary number on your time just smacks of the belief “you gotta work hard for money”.
Quite a few years back, in my previous life as a Realtor, I spent the (perfect) day with a very successful Realtor from a neighboring state. I commented on her cute shoes and she retorted that “they should be cute because they cost me over $3500.00.” My eyes must have gotten wide or something because she went on to explain that the reason why they cost her so much is because she “skipped out on work” to go shopping for them. And I’m thinking “what? are we in 7th grade again, getting in trouble for sluffing?”. But of course, she was making about 10 times as much as I was, so what did I know.
Turns out as I grew and I got to know myself better, I realized that what I truly wanted was not just money but the Lifestyle. Sure, I love money as much or more than the next person but not to have a bunch of green paper sitting in the bank but rather for the Lifestyle it can give me. She made about $1,000,000.00 a year and after expenses she came out at about $480,000.00 a year. She never played golf or tennis, rarely got home from work before 9:00 or 10:00 at night, started her work days early around 7:00 am and she felt guilty if she took time off to shop for shoes. That was her life. She claimed to be happy. I think she was.
Contrast that with another Realtor that I knew. This guy knew how to leverage energy. He worked sometimes and he played a lot. Played tennis, just about every day, took time off for vacations and attending school functions for his kids, spent time with friends and loved ones and he enjoyed his life. He made about $650,000.00 a year but after expenses, he averaged around $500,000.00 a year. He of course, did not have the ego satisfaction to say he made more money than her, because when it’s time for the awards to be passed out, the highest prize goes to the one with the highest gross. He chose the Lifestyle instead of the award.
Of course, we all can choose what we want for our life. I believe that she chose the “ego satisfaction” over the “lifestyle satisfaction” and that is okay. It’s just wouldn’t work for me.
Some of the things I do during the day would not be considered “work” worth $480.76 an hour (or even probably $5.00 an hour!) but those things go into my Lifestyle hours which are more precious than money or gold. Some of the things I do during my working hours are “priceless”, the things in life that are more valuable than money or awards.
In my life, I’ve also discovered that some of my best “work” does not come from “working”. Most of my best ideas, the most effective plans, and the most successful things come to me not while I am “working” but rather when I am “playing”, like taking my kids on a walk to the park, pushing them is a swing, playing at the pool, knitting in front of the (gasp!) T.V. (yeah, that “unproductive” evil, the T.V.!).
What I am saying is that at least in my life, the “flow” of life never comes if I am forcing myself to do tasks worth so much per hour, such as “$480. 76” (more or less) but rather when I am happy and enjoying my life and trusting and allowing the good to come to me.
Anja Merrett.com
Popularity: 3% [?]
Topics: Creating Abundance, Living the Power, Deliberate Creation |
September 1st, 2007 at 10:08 am
Love the posting Karen
I too have been confronting my mindset of working smarter rather than harder. While I’m passionate about my work, I see there are times when I’m so serious and need to lighten up. I see how my playfulness and attention to what brings me joy contributes to my being energized, focused and in the flow.
So, instead of labeling those times I seem to be sloughing off as being unproductive, I see that as part of my attraction program. Like you, when I’m feeling good and happy, everything flows. I’m happy to be noticing when I’m feeling good so that I can appreciate and savor the moments.
Well off to do something that brings me joy. So many possibilities…..
Have a great weekend!
September 1st, 2007 at 10:49 am
Thanks, Lorraine,
This subject has been on my mind for awhile now. I realize that the joy that I’m looking for comes when I am happily doing the things I love, like writing, knitting, reading, playing with the kids.
Labeling it as part of the “Attraction Program” is brilliant!
Thanks for stopping by!
September 10th, 2007 at 6:29 am
Indeed, lifestyle is what we need the most. Money is not a must, it’s merely an option, an accessories in our chosen lifestyle. Why living a lifestyle just because we thought everybody would think that it’s cool or somekind. We can choose to live our life with a lifestyle that give us most benefit and satisfaction. No need to ask someone else’ permission & acknowledgement to live by being our true selves.
Attraction Program? … cool
September 16th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
[…] Karen Lynch presents Productivity Flow (Live The Power) posted at Live The Power. […]
February 5th, 2008 at 10:46 am
[…] I’m not talking about productivity tools that put a value on your time, you know the kind that says, “I want to make this {amount of money} this year, so if I work a 40 hour week, each hour is worth {this much money} so if I am doing anything that is worth less than that I am wasting time and burning money”. […]