Doing Things vs. Getting Things Done

Note: Every once in a while on this blog, instead of focusing on the weird and unique, I will actually try to offer tips and advice and make a genuine contribution, like with this post.

If you are like me, sometimes you feel like you are just spinning your wheels at work - always doing something, but not seeming to get anything done. It is a frustrating feeling that, if left unchecked, can sour your own perception of your work contributions and your job fulfillment.

In essence, it is important to understand that there is a difference between being busy and being productive. A recent blog post on The Happiness Project  refers to it as Fake Work and Make Work. In other words, sometimes it is easier to be busy than to be productive.

One model that I use to ensure that the work that I am doing is productive and effective is the 2x2 model of urgent and important work, as described by Steven Covey in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People:

According to this model, there are four quadrants where we spend our time:

Important & Urgent - These activities are important to you, to your job, and/or to the company for which you work. In addition, these are extremely time sensitive and need to be done soon, if not immediately. Examples might include rushed jobs on a tight deadline, serving in-store customers, trying to hire a new employee immediately because a recent employee quit unexpectedly, and work that has been procrastinated until near its deadlines.

Important & Not Urgent - These activities are similar to the activities above in that they are important to you, your job and/or your company. But unlike the activities above, they are not extremely time sensitive. Examples might include jobs and/or goals on a long-term deadline, preparing in advance for upcoming meetings, and modifying job descriptions for upcoming positions that will need to be filled.

Urgent & Not Important - These activities take precedence on your time, while they are not important for you, your job, or your company. Examples include coworkers stopping by unannounced, some phone calls, and getting roped into helping another employee at the expense of your own work.

Not Urgent & Not Important - These activities are not important at all to you, your job, or your company, and they are not urgent either. Examples include personal emails and phone calls, browsing the internet, online chatting, and playing games.

To me, the secret of getting things done is to spend as much time as possible in the Important & Not Urgent sector, where you are making progress and accomplishing tasks on your own time line and with a minimal amount of stress. The other three sectors may give you the illusion of getting things done, when in reality, you are merely doing things. Let me explain what I mean by breaking down each sector.

Important & Urgent: It is true that when you spend time in this category, you may actually be getting this done, but you do it at the expense of additional stress and a heightened likelihood of making mistakes. The more frantic and urgent you feel, and the more pressure to quickly complete the task, the more likely you are to miss some steps or make some mistakes along the way, which results in additional work and additional stress in having to do this work over again.

I have a co-worker that loves to live in this quadrant. He is always, in his own words, "putting out fires and running in a thousand different directions." I have to admit that, at times, it can be difficult working with this coworker because I am not called in until something is critical and needs to be done immediately. So, by being drawn in to his Important & Urgent quadrant, all of a sudden I find myself in my Urgent & Not Important quadrant - helping my coworker put out his fires, while neglecting my own work.

Urgent & Not Important: This is the sneakiest of all of the categories. Because the activities in this area are urgent, you get the impression that you are actually making a difference and getting work done. The problem here is that, while you may be completing these urgent activities, it is not making a dent to your important job-related tasks. This truly is "spinning your wheels," getting caught up in urgent work without getting important work done. And when you do that, then your Important & Not Urgent work starts moving closer and closer to that Important & Urgent category, creating more unnecessary stress.

Not Urgent & Not Important: Sometimes, you just need to take a break. Studies have shown that a quick walk, a healthy snack, and maybe even a quick game of solitaire can be beneficial to your productivity. Where you run into problems is when these activities become counterproductive. When you are overly stressed about upcoming deadlines or a heavy workload, it's tempting to just walk away or to ignore the work by escaping into internet browsing, online shopping or similar activities. But once those activities are completed, your important work is still there waiting, as the deadlines creep even closer. You have done nothing to help your situation, and may have even made it worse.

- - - The Bottom Line Tip - - -

Spend as much time as possible in the Important & Not Urgent quadrant. By focusing on your important tasks before they become urgent, you have more time and attention to give. You will be less prone to make mistakes, encounter less stress, be more productive, and get things done!