Is your to-do list full of busywork instead of high-impact tasks? I started asking myself that question because of a street sweeper on my morning commute.
Quick setup. I live in the Washington, DC area, where traffic is legendary and we measure commutes in minutes, not miles. Mine is 22 miles and about 40 minutes, which around here qualifies as a minor miracle. My secret is the Inter-County Connector (the ICC), a toll road that lets me skip the Beltway and saves me 30 minutes or more. I pay the toll gladly.
The Great Street Sweeper Mystery
Here’s what I can’t stop noticing. During the summer, I see a street sweeper working the breakdown lanes of the ICC at least once a week, sometimes more. In almost 35 years of driving, I had never seen one along a major three-lane highway until I started taking this road.
And what exactly is it sweeping? I’ve pulled off the road plenty of times, and yes, there are pebbles, dirt and debris. But I’ve never heard of anyone being harmed by a pebble. These lanes exist for disabled vehicles, and they’re getting spa treatment.
Naturally, my mind went straight to my tolls. Is this where my money goes? Is it the best use of it? I don’t have the answer. Maybe the sweeping is essential. Maybe it’s a handy way to justify the tolls, the purchase of a street sweeper, or the salary of the person who operates the street sweeper.
Activity vs Productivity: Why Busy Feels So Good
So why am I rambling about a road you’ve probably never driven? Because that street sweeper made me wonder what in my own life looks impressive from the outside but doesn’t change much on the inside.
I know exactly where mine hide. I catch myself doing low-priority tasks because I enjoy them (it’s usually spreadsheet-related), or because I’m dodging the one thing I don’t want to do. You know the one. It’s uncomfortable, a little intimidating, and it’s the very thing that would move me toward my goals.
Polishing a spreadsheet feels wonderful. Making the difficult call does not. That’s the whole activity vs productivity problem in a nutshell: activity feels like progress, while productivity actually delivers it. Being busy doesn’t equal being effective, no matter how spotless the breakdown lane looks.
You Have Skin in the Game
Think of your life as a toll road. Just like a commuter who pays every time they drive, you’re paying for your journey every single day with your time, energy and attention. So, it’s fair to ask whether the people maintaining the road are using those resources well. In your case, the maintenance crew is you.
So where are you sweeping? Maybe it’s reorganizing the same files, checking email for the fifth time, or tweaking a plan that was fine two tweaks ago. It looks proactive. It feels productive. But it barely matters to the final outcome. We’re all guilty of these time wasters at one time or another, but you don’t have to keep repeating the same mistakes.
How to Prioritize Tasks (Without Buying a Street Sweeper)
You don’t need a complicated system. Start with three honest questions. If this were the only thing I finished today, would my goals move forward? Am I doing this because it matters, or because it’s comfortable? And what have I been avoiding? Chances are, that last one is a high-impact task wearing a disguise.
Then zoom out and look across all three pillars of your life: professional, personal and purpose. A little sweeping now and then is fine. It just shouldn’t crowd out the work that actually builds the road you want to travel.
Spend Your Energy on High-Impact Tasks
If you’re not sure which of your tasks are street sweepers, I’m happy to help you find the clarity you need. Even better, we can identify the high-impact tasks that deserve your best energy instead. Sign up for my complimentary 20-minute strategy call, and let’s make sure you’re not wasting your time on things that won’t move you toward your goals.
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