Photo by Aaron Sebastian on Unsplash

This week I’ve been less busy, not scrambling so much to do everything I think I need to/should do. As a result things are not as overwhelming and that feeling of pressure I put on myself is less intense.

I took a good look at how I ended up in this position; the short answer is I dropped the ball.

• Things have been humming along quite nicely for some time and I figured everything would be okay.
• I stopped looking ahead, seeing where there were gaps and taking early action to fill them.
• I was so busy doing the urgent stuff I didn’t have time to do the important stuff (popularised by Steven Covey in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People)

In writing this I just heard my story around my priorities – I didn’t have time?!?! I didn’t make it important. As often happens things then become urgent and a sense of desperation underplays the whole thing; hence my call to stop and refocus. And the refocus needs to be around the important stuff.

Am I saying to ignore the urgent stuff? Absolutely not! Right now I’m dealing with what’s urgent AND taking action on what’s important. Until I get back on track I am doing both, which means doing what I don’t normally like to do – long hours, going without, strategic action, out of my comfort zone activities and dealing with what I’ve been avoiding.

When I see it like this I realise that when it’s important it gets done and I don’t mind doing what it takes to get it done. There is a focus now, a bigger picture and the search begins for the answers to the question “how am I going to make that happen?” I must look at what I’ve been avoiding and take some different, and definite, action. And I must plan ahead for the important stuff to once again hum along nicely. Time spent planning is an investment and not to be underestimated. While it seems like I’m doing nothing I am actually doing the important stuff. This is when things start to percolate, new ideas come to the surface, and there is a new energy to what gets done and how it gets done (no more sense of desperation).

In all of this, what’s important is looking after me and my health, taking time out, staying in touch with friends and doing activities that lift my spirit and remind me that I am here to enjoy this life and my journey through it. The balance of important and urgent means things get done. The balance of work and play means I thrive while I make things happen.

Are you caught in the “busy-ness” of doing, overwhelmed, getting nowhere fast? Contact me to find out how partnering with a life coach can help you work om what’s important, deal with what’s urgent and have time for life.