Asking this one question will make you more productive.

“Couldn’t you be doing something more productive with your time?”

This is one of my favorite sayings. It is such a mantra around my house, that my daughter actually wrote one of her college application essays on possessing a “productivity gene” that wouldn’t allow idle hands or an idle mind.

If I’m not asking it of someone else, I’m asking it of myself. “Could I be doing something better with my time?” “Am I wasting time?” or “What would be a better use of my time?”

Keeping ourselves productive isn’t just a matter of pages-long to-do lists. It’s a matter of self talk- the communication that goes on inside our own heads. We all know our time on this earth is limited and we have no idea how much we really have, so shouldn’t we be spending it wisely?

This week, as you’re moving through each day, ask yourself, “Is this the best use of my time?” when you’re procrastinating, spending too much time on an unimportant task, or arguing with someone about something trivial. If the answer is no- it’s time to move on to something more productive!

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