February is heart health month. There are tons of articles that emphasize diet and exercise for a heart healthy lifestyle. These are definitely important, but I propose Productivity with Heart to not just be “heart healthy” but also “heart happy.”

What does this mean?

This means being productive not just for the sake of “getting stuff done” but with the greater intention of having the time and energy to create a satisfying life.

Why is this important?

Research shows, and you’ve probably noticed for yourself, our best or happiest days are those when we connect with others or do something to take care of ourselves.

The way we spend our days and weeks becomes the way we spend our years. If time is not spent where it really matters, this leads to life dissatisfaction. At the end of life, according to hospice nurse Bronnie Ware, some of the top regrets of the dying include:

I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.

I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

I wish that I had let myself be happier.

How does it work?

Productivity with Heart is the process of:

• Clarifying your values
• Identifying actionable values
• Prioritizing these values on your schedule

For example, you identify “Family” as an important value. The value in action is “time with family.” To make this happen more often, you have to block off the time on your schedule. This could be having meals together, game nights, date nights or activities out. This may require shifting schedules to leave work earlier (or arrive later) some days.

The same can be done for the value of health and creating time for activities like exercise and cooking. And, of course, the more you can be productive with work and other responsibilities, the more time you have to make your values a priority.

Pro Tips:

• Schedule recurring calendar blocks for each week.
• Treat these appointments as you would a business meeting or visit with you doctor. This is a commitment and you do everything you can to follow through at the scheduled time. If you absolutely cannot make it happen one day, you do not delete it from your calendar, you connect to reschedule.

What are the benefits?

The more consistently you are spending intentional time related to your values in action, the more you are living life in alignment with what matters most. This helps you to have a happier, healthier and more satisfying life.

Tamara’s passion is helping busy professionals align their values with their schedules to have the time and energy for what matters most. To this end, she founded Optima Results Coaching and launched the Productivity with Heart series. Like many of her clients, Tamara fills multiple roles as parent, partner, employee and entrepreneur.

Her background in psychology and integrative medicine, along with 10,000+ coaching interactions, has honed her unique skill set to help her clients achieve results. Her personal values include: Family, Presence, Connection, Service and Growth. Connect with Tamara to strategize your next steps for Productivity with Heart for yourself or your team!