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Happy Sunday!
As you are planning out your ideal week or just starting to think through what you will work on tomorrow, I wanted to give you this powerful productivity hack to get you thinking and working differently this week.
I believe one of the biggest misconceptions out there, especially for college coaches, is thinking that being busy means you're being productive. But there's a big difference between the two.
Being busy is all about doing a lot—juggling emails, phone calls, practices, meetings, and so on. Being productive, on the other hand, is about focusing on what really moves the needle for your program—getting results.
Think about it: How much of your day is spent on things that don’t actually help you recruit better, win more games, or build stronger relationships with your athletes? Most of us waste time on low-value tasks that feel urgent but aren't truly essential.
Peter Drucker, the management guru, nailed it when he said, "There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all."
This is where the 80/20 Rule comes in. It’s a simple yet powerful way to focus on what matters most. The rule says that 80% of your results come from just 20% of your efforts. It’s not exact science, but it’s a mindset. What’s the 20% of tasks that actually contribute to your success as a coach?
Let’s break it down:
- If your goal is to recruit top-level talent, answering every email within minutes or spending hours fine-tuning the design of your team’s social media graphics isn't going to help you land that recruit. Those are busy tasks, not productive ones.
- Instead, spending time building relationships with potential recruits and their parents, organizing meaningful campus visits, and having real conversations with your current team about what makes your program special—those are your high-impact tasks. That's your 20%.
Ask yourself, "If I skipped this task, would it really hurt my recruiting, team performance, or season goals?" If the answer is no, then it's probably busywork.
For example, if your aim is to build a championship team, redoing the layout of your playbook for the tenth time isn’t going to get you there. But connecting with a high school coach who can refer the next standout player—that's a priority.
The hard truth is that it's easy to get stuck in the "busy" trap. We’ve all been there—feeling accomplished just because we’re constantly moving. But busyness doesn’t lead to better results. Focus on identifying the key activities that drive success, and make those your priority.
Gary Keller, the author of The One Thing, said it best: "Not everything matters equally, and success isn’t a game won by whoever does the most."
So, take a hard look at your daily tasks. What’s the 20% that’s going to lead to 80% of your success this season? Prioritize that and watch how much more productive—and successful—you become.
To your productivity!
Mandy Green
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