Coaching inquiry of the week: What's your relationship with productivity?

Yesterday as I was packing up and preparing for my trip to London, it struck me that I had the same feeling that I used to have on business trips. It’s not quite dread, but it’s something close to that. As I looked at my schedule, I realised I had booked six meetings today and seven tomorrow, all over London, on top of my travel to and from Paris. 

This is exactly what I used to do on business trips. It was always hard to find a date where availability aligned between colleagues, clients and me, so once I found the date, I held the belief that I had to make the trip worthwhile. Worthwhile meant cramming in as many meetings as possible. Cramming in as many meetings as possible meant being stressed about running late all day, having no wiggle room in the schedule for delays or traffic, having no time to stop and eat, having no time for chit chat, having no time to think, connect, enjoy or be. 

My pattern has repeated itself and I realise that I have a warped sense of productivity. For me, it’s not worthwhile if it’s not productive, and it’s not productive if it’s not crammed. If it’s crammed it’s stressful, if it’s stressful it’s something to be dreaded and who wants to do anything dreaded? Why am I turning opportunities for growth, connection and learning into something to be dreaded? Why is my version of productivity at odds with enjoyment?

This week is what it is. I’m not changing the schedule, and I’ve managed to change my perspective from “dread” to “prepared”. I’m looking forward to the trip. However, the questions I need to ask myself are these. When did I decide that enjoyment was not a priority? What is the cost of my attachment to hyper productivity?

Now it’s time to throw it back to you. Coaching inquiry of the week:

What is your relationship with productivity?