How to Stop Overcommitting

Would you like to STOP:

-Rushing to/from meetings?

-Missing workouts?

-Getting reports in at the last minute?

-Burning yourself out?

Then you need to stop overcommitting.

Admit it.  There is a certain “jazz” you get from being constantly busy.  It can be intoxicating to serve the tyranny of the urgent.  In his book First Things First, Dr. Stephen Covey identifies this addiction to urgency as the first thing you need to kick if you really want more control of your time.  It makes you look busy, but maybe not very productive.  And urgency is certainly the enemy of quality work.

Here are three more tips to STOP doing the things above and to actually produce even higher QUALITY work.

1.  You actually have some control in your life.  Identify what you can say no to – and start saying no.  Kick the ALWAYS SAYING YES habit.

2.  Where you cannot say no - negotiate longer deadlines.  Let’s face it, not everything needs to be done yesterday.

3.  Block significant chunks of time on your calendar to get “work” done – no meetings; and stick to it.

There is no easy answer to getting today’s work life of constant change, tons of emails, and endless meetings under control.  But these suggestions will help.  You will be happier and make even more of a Mission Impact when you implement them.

For more ideas on how you can lead breakthroughs in your organization, follow this blog and check out my web site at www.SheehanNonprofitConsulting.com   You will find free resources you can download, including a Breakthrough Strategy Workbook that you can download at no cost.  You can also check out my book, Mission Impact:  Breakthrough Strategies for Nonprofits, and buy it if you are interested.  And you can follow Sheehan Nonprofit Consulting on Facebook.