Busy vs. Productive: The Mission Lesson That Transformed My Work Forever

When I served a full-time mission in Montreal, Canada, I made a personal commitment to make the most of my time. Every day, I pushed myself to the limit. During metro commutes or while walking the streets, I talked to as many people as possible. I skipped lunch to make phone calls and coordinate visits for members in need, and I never returned to my apartment before 9 p.m., determined to squeeze every minute out of the day on hard work.

A Sudden Paradigm Shift

During a training meeting, I encountered an idea that completely reframed my approach: the distinction between being busy and being productive. My leaders pointed out how easy it was to fill an agenda with an endless list of tasks. Yes, these tasks keep us in constant motion, but they might not contribute significantly to our core goals or greater purpose.

Example: The Never-Ending To-Do List

• Busy Mode: Writing down every small, low-impact activity—such as rearranging files, sending out “FYI” emails, or scrolling social media for “research”—just to feel accomplished.

• Productive Mode: Checking your to-do list against your main objective and only retaining items that align with your overarching mission.

This busy vs. productive lesson caused me to pause and question the true value of my actions. Instead of focusing on quantity—like how many phone calls I made—I started focusing on why and how I was doing them.

Key Questions to Ask:

1. How does this action align with my mission’s core purpose?

2. Am I being productive or just keeping busy?

By asking myself these questions, I was able to prioritize truly meaningful engagements— such as teaching, community service, or volunteer coordination—and eliminate activities that didn’t directly support my mission’s objectives.

The Lesson’s Relevance in Professional Life

Fast forward to today, and I still rely on that distinction to guide my professional life. It’s alarmingly easy to fill a schedule with back-to-back meetings, emails, and tasks that seem urgent but don’t necessarily drive meaningful progress.

Modern Workplace Pitfalls

• Email Overload: Even if you reply to 40+ emails a day, how many of those responses lead to real change or critical decisions?

• Meeting Mania: Six meetings in one day might feel “productive,” yet how often do you leave them with a clear direction or actionable outcomes?

Just like the lesson I learned in Montreal, being in constant motion isn’t the same as heading in the right direction. Think of yourself as a pilot: logging flight hours means nothing if you’re not navigating toward the correct destination.