This past summer, our family took a trip to Europe for about 2.5 weeks. Every part of that trip was virtually perfect except ONE THING…

There was no “Close Door” button in a few of our hotel elevators.

Wait, what?!

THAT was a problem for you, Jason?

Sadly, yes. I knew I was impatient but I was shocked at how annoyed I became at the absence of a little button that saved me three seconds a few times a day.

I was literally ON VACATION and bothered by a few seconds of inefficiency. If there was ever a time when I didn’t need to be in such a rush, it was now; but here I was, so conditioned to rush from one thing to the next that I was annoyed by the extra wait.

Then I realized, that’s how I live my life every day.

It’s how nearly every high achiever goes through their day.

We’re constantly in a rush to move from one thing to the next. We must fill every second of our calendars with something “productive”.

Why? Because there’s no worse feeling to a high achiever than the feeling of being unproductive with their time.

Every moment must be filled.

It’s why we check our email when we’re at a stop light.

It’s why we cram our calendar down to the minute with back-to-back meetings and projects.

It’s why we listen to podcasts and audio books while we work out.

Every. Second. Counts.

And if we don’t use every second to produce something, we’re wasting time, being irresponsible, or lazy.

I’m not saying that it’s bad to listen to podcasts or audio books while you work out, I’m simply drawing attention to the fact that we have an addiction to staying productive.

And it’s worked, up to this point. Being a productivity machine has produced some really incredible results.

However, if you’re going to elevate your business to the next level and expand your own freedom in the process, you have to evolve in your thinking around productivity.

You need to redefine what “productivity” means.

In the early days of growing your business, you had to hustle, through staying in constant motion. Every second counted because you were trying to get this thing off the ground and profitable.

But, productivity at this level in your business is measured differently.

What you used to call wasted time

is now the conduit for your business growth

The question is no longer,

“How much activity can I get done in this space”

The question is,

“How much SPACE can I create in non-activity?”

If you’re the leader, you have to create enough space to see the big picture and to solve problems no one else is thinking about. As a leader, make time to ask yourself questions that help you identify the true levers that will create more with less effort.

When you have a 15min gap in your calendar, what if rather looking at your to do list and asking “What can I get DONE?” Instead, ask “How can I embrace ‘unproductiveness’ in this moment? 

Every second you invest doing so will give you a 10x greater return than what you used to get from your former definition of productivity.

PS – The “Door Close” button is a placebo!!!   

Did you know the “Close Door” button on elevators in the United States doesn’t actually close the elevator any faster. The Americans with Disabilities act of 1990 made sure of it. That button is a total illusion of control. Push it all you want; you aren’t going anywhere any faster!