Work Simply

Unproductive Busyness

Americans work about 50 hours a week, and most working moms get fewer than six hours of sleep a night. People are busier than ever, but their busyness does not make them more productive. Feeling stressed and worried about falling behind may lead you to reach for the latest time-management book or program. Unfortunately, most of them focus only on how much time you allocate to specific tasks. Their one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t consider other demands you face from different sources, nor does it show you how to work more productively.

The way that you apportion your time and energy stems from your personal “cognitive style,” the unconscious way you take in, process and manage information to inform your behavior. Your style influences how you approach and solve problems as well as how you relate to others. Personalizing your work strategies to align with your style can increase your productivity.

Your “locus of control” – a theory advanced by psychologist Julian Rotter – lies within yourself. If you believe you have the knowledge, talent and ability to succeed, you’ll reach your goals, but if you blame others for derailing your work...