NEWSFLASH: There is always going to be more to do than we can do. With pretty much everything moving at the speed of thought these days, we are exposed to more stimuli and action items in one day than our great-grandparents were in a year.
When our calendar and to-do list are overflowing, it’s easy to slip into overwhelm.
To keep that from happening and start learning to maximize your potential try this:
ASK A QUESTION: “Am I doing the right thing at the right time, in the right way, with the right people?”
Ask it frequently throughout your day.
If the answer is “YES,” continue doing what you are doing and know that you are doing your best. All is well.
If the answer is “No,” then stop. Get clear on what is the best use of your time, right now, and re-calibrate accordingly.
If you are not clear on what the best use of your time and energy is, at a given time, you don’t have a time management problem, you have a prioritization problem.
In his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, Victor Frankl wrote, “To live a good life, one must be what one can be.” We are capable of so much and we must perform at our capacity and ability. When we are performing at our capacity we are happy. However, to the degree a gap exists between our capacity and our performance, is our unhappiness.
It’s not about multitasking. It is about being effective at the triage that matters and applying our energy, effort, and resources in a way that has the most profound impact, given our unique strengths and talents, to help us maximize our potential.
Going forward, try asking yourself THE QUESTION throughout your day and see what comes up for you. That’s a healthy place to start to be what you can be.