For the longest time, I equated being busy with being successful. The more I did, the more I felt productive, until I realized I was spending entire days “working” and getting nothing done that actually mattered. Now, I measure my days by impact, not activity. Being less busy made me more intentional. 

• Being busy means filling your schedule, but being productive means filling it intentionally.
  
• I used to say yes to everything: extra projects, assignments accumulating to endless to-do lists, thinking it made me more motivated. But having so much on your plate can quickly lead to burnout. Learning to say no to things and take on less is so important for developing personal and professional boundaries.
  
• Productivity really isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing what matters. So often I would find myself scheduling or planning thinking this was an effective use of my time, but I would run out of time to actually complete the tasks I was planning for.
  
• Rest is also productive. You can’t create, learn, or focus when you’re burnt out, so taking the time to rest and recharge is equally as important to getting things done.