How to get a lot done but accomplish nothing

Over the past ten years, I’ve learned to Put Values First and simultaneously Put Myself First.  My third of “ten lessons from ten years in business” is to Recognize and Prioritize Two Distinct Levels of Focus.
I work day to day from a combination of to-do lists and a calendar that together keep me focused.  In the midst of a busy workday, I want to know where my time is best spent.  If something is on my calendar, it’s there for a reason.  And rather than muddle through my inbox aimlessly, responding to other people’s priorities first, I try hard to focus instead on the to-do list of priorities that I’ve pre-determined as critical to my success.
I’ve long been a productivity nut. It started when I read Getting Things Done by David Allen and attended one of his workshops.  I don’t use the term “life changing” often but this counted as