Are you constantly racing to keep up? Do you find yourself like so many other professionals, absorbed with *doing* your business such that you have lost your sense of purpose and enthusiasm for what you are doing? You can experience a fresh perspective and renewed inspiration by stopping for a moment to take a discerning look at *how* you are spending your time, working *on* your business instead of *in* your business.
Constant racing and fear of losing ground seriously stifle our ability to do creative problem solving. We may not have saber tooth tigers after us, but we still have an innate fight or flight stress response. When fear is running us, we lose our ability to analyze and solve problems in the best possible way. Instead, we are constantly putting out fires. We are reactive not proactive. Fear and anxiety keep us from feeling like we can take “extra” time to assess how to be more efficient. Eventually, we may end up feeling burdened, resentful, or burnt out.
If you want to avoid this downward spiral and bring a fresh inspiration to your work it is important to schedule time to “sit back” and assess. One way to analyze your time budget is to list everything you are doing or want to do, put them in order of priority (high to low), and draw a line below that which you can reasonably get done if your are working at 80% capacity. This 80% rule allows you to create reasonable expectations around what you get done. It also allows time for unforeseen obstacles or opportunities. The hard part for many people is letting go of lower priority items. It can be uncomfortable and may even cause physical pain. One way to assuage your pain is to keep the rejected projects in a “Some Day Maybe” File. (See Davis Allen’s book, Getting Things Done, for more information on how to set up a useable filing system.) In this way, you are simply putting lower priorities on a back burner, not rejecting them entirely.
Also, when some great new idea crosses your path, be mindful of where it fits in your list of priorities. Does the shiny new idea make it above the 80% line? What will you drop off the bottom if you take the new thing on? It can be excruciating to say “no” to a great idea especially if your “no” disappoints another person. But it speaks highly of your character if you bring this intention and mindfulness to your commitments. Ultimately, you will show up at higher levels for the things you say “yes” to and be respected for setting clear and responsible limits.
This process of stepping back and assessing your time budget can feel counter-intuitive as we need to temporarily stop “being productive” in order to see the forest for the trees. But ultimately by calmly assessing your time budget, creating clear priorities, and working a reasonable plan, you will be able to economize your efforts for greater results with less stress and feel a renewed sense of inspiration, purpose, and momentum.
Action Steps:
1. Make a list of everything you do or would like to do in your business in the next 6 months. Start with your top priority and work down.
2. Estimate what you can get done if you work at 80% capacity. Draw a line.
3. Put the remaining lower priorities in a “Some Day Maybe” file for future assessment. Then you will not lose them and leaving them out of your immediate plans won’t seem so painfully final.
Extra Credit:
4. Practice saying “no” to someone with whom you need to put off working.
5. Schedule an hour a week to work *on* your business, not *in* your business. (Hint: Working weekly with a professional coach is a great way to establish the habit of staying on top of your time and priorities.)