Well it's been months since I posted on The Incrementalist YouTube channel or podcast. I focused on other areas of life that changed how I view personal productivity - not so much around the how, but more about the why.

Welcome to The Incrementalist. My name is Dyan Williams, and I'm your productivity coach who will help you make big changes in small steps.

I've reflected on how I can apply what I've learned to The Incrementalist, which is still about making big
changes in small steps. You might notice some differences in episodes to come. Or I might just start a new channel. If you've been following the show, I hope you will stick around. If you're new, welcome and stay a while.

And be sure to check out my online course, The Busyness Trap: Escape Overload and Focus on What
Matters. Modules 1 and 2 are now available at dyan-williams.thinkific.com.

The enrollment fee could go up as more modules are added incrementally. The link is in the show
notes. Here's a free preview of Module 2.

How do you know you're in the busyness trap? Here are the 5 warning signs that you’re trapped in busyness:

1. You don’t know what really matters.
Long to-do lists and packed schedules are bound to include fake work and trivial activities. There’s less room for real work and key things. Unless you clarify what is most essential, you will be more drawn to non-essentials. This leaves you scattered and reactive instead of focused and proactive.

2. You don’t know how to make progress on what really matters.

Even when you know your top priority, you still neglect it because you’re waiting for the perfect conditions. You find it hard to get into a focused, flow state because the challenge is too big to tackle. Projects take longer to start or finish. The lack of follow-through causes work to pile up and backlog to build. Even when you start big projects, you lose momentum when you hit the messy middle. Unfinished projects weigh on you and lead you to longer delays.

3. You don’t know how to protect time for what really matters.

Although you might know the exact steps to take to get the big thing done, you don’t make time for them. You have no real plans for when you will do tasks and activities to fulfill your roles and goals. You feel confused about what to do with the time you have. With no schedule for doing hard, high-value things, you default to easy, routine tasks, like checking emails and surfing the Internet.

4. You don’t know how to synch with your rhythm to do what really matters.
When you plan to do certain tasks and schedule time to do them, you might still struggle to follow the plan or schedule. It’s counterproductive to plan your deep work sessions in the afternoons when your focus level dips. Or to check emails and do admin work when your focus is at its peak. It’s hard to gain traction when there’s a mismatch between the task at hand and your mood or workspace.

5. You don’t know how to replenish your energy to focus on what really matters.
When we procrastinate or fail to plan, we rely on force-based methods like deadlines to gain traction and stick with a project. There’s not enough downtime to relax, destress and rebuild reserves. If your attention span is too short to meet the demands of a project, you will feel burnt out and worn out. You get stuck in busyness.