Being productive means finishing the tasks and projects that matter to you. Productivity enables you to cross off items on your to-do list.
Once you finish your work, how do you spend your spare time?
- Spend time enjoying hobbies
- Watch or participate in sports
- Read more
- Spend time by yourself
- Participate in events in your community
How you spend your time alive is very important. When you use productivity to become a better version of yourself, you can do more of what it is that matters most to you. Are you doing this? The truth is, at some point, you will die. Knowing this you can make better decisions while you are alive.
Regrets of the Dying
Bronnie Ware is an Australian home nurse in palliative care. She takes care of others during their last weeks alive. When she asks them about their regrets, five themes emerge in the responses.
1. I wish I had the courage to lead the life I wanted.
When people look back on their lives, they realize that they did not achieve some of their dreams. They think twice about the choices they made (or did not make).
It is important to pursue your dreams. Put them on your incubation list if you can’t take action right now. A beautiful film on the same theme is the Bucket List.
When you look at your incubation list on a regular basis, you will accomplish more of the items on this list. That’s right—even the dreams you want to fulfill.
Everyday take the time to do something that helps you move toward fulfilling your dream. Even if it is just a small step. Fill your calendar with intentional actions you can take to move forward.
2. I wish I had not worked so hard
This was a common regret of many male patients. Instead of working so hard, they wish they had spent more time with their children or loved ones. Having the right balance of work in your life is difficult. Make sure you prioritize having time in your life for the people you care about. When we were still working from nine to five, this concept was easier as the hours outside of that time was considered personal time. Now it is different as technology has made it possible to communicate at all hours of the day with people all over the world.
One way to address this is to place all of the items that are important to you on your Master List. The only way these items will actually be accomplished is by doing the specific tasks on this list.
3.I wish I had the courage to express my feelings
On many occasions, patients stated that they did not share their feelings because of the fear for how others may respond. Because of this, in many cases, they did not develop their full potential.
4.I wish I stayed in touch with my friends
There is often great regret about not giving adequate time and attention to friendships. When you are very busy, friendships are often not a priority, even though they should be. Friendships are very important. Spending time with those you are close to can greatly improve the quality of your life. Take the steps needed to keep in touch with your friends and get together with them when possible. Don’t just have good intentions; take the action needed to get spend time with your friends.
5. I wish I had allowed myself to be happier.
This is a surprisingly common theme for people. The fear of change—as well as having a negative attitude—can stop you from being happy. You must make the decision to be happy. In many cases, having goals can help lead to an increased level of happiness in your life.
Whether or not you meet all of your goals is irrelevant; just having an intentional purpose in your life can often make you feel happier.
The goal to be happier or to fulfill your dreams can only happen when you take action. And this starts with finishing the items on your to-do list.
Take a look at your bucket list and take the steps necessary to create momentum for your dreams.
