Stop to Celebrate

Too often, we find ourselves working day-to-day, finishing to-do lists, completing a difficult task or wrapping up a huge project just to move quickly on to the next item on our list. Being busy, non-stop, hyper-productive, it feels good right?

When you think about the word “busy,” what comes to mind? Do you often use it to describe your schedule? Your workload? Your entire lifestyle? Think of using the word “busy” as the equivalent to purposely giving someone the busy signal. Describing yourself as busy can make you seem inaccessible. Instead, challenge yourself to use more accurate and positive synonyms. Below are a few examples:

- Blessed with many projects

- Fortunate to have numerous ongoing clients

- Not boring (that’s my favorite!)

Not only does it have an optimistic spin on the term “busy,” it also serves as a conversation starter. Busy feels like a door being shut; a positive phrase seems like an invitation to hear about the on-going excitement!

Within these bursts of productivity, make sure you find time (schedule it if you have to) to celebrate an accomplishment and/or milestone. Just stop for a few minutes to reflect on the success of the project. What worked? What didn’t work? What are the strengths of the project and what did you learn in the process? What will you do differently next time? What goals will it help you ultimately reach, and what recognition could this bring to you and your company?

Acknowledging your accomplishment and, ultimately, progress in your personal and career goals will help to re-motivate you to keep going. That confidence will increase your productivity so that you can continue to improve and succeed during your exciting and fulfilling schedule!