Realise that you’ll never get everything done.
That’s not the game anymore.
Be safe in the knowledge that you’re in control, selecting the right things to do, and that you’re doing as much as one human being possibly can. This definitely does not mean ‘don’t be ambitious’; it does mean that if you have a sense of ambition, you’ll probably experience some times in your life with more on your plate than you can physically do.
What you know once you get into this situation is that you physically can’t do it on your own.
Once you recognise this, there are three things you can do:
- Worry about it and beat yourself up with stress
- Identify a ‘route through’ – work like a horse until you get to the end, keeping sane in the knowledge that you’re moving as productively and effectively as you can.
- Get some help. Hire someone. Call in some favours. Delegate. After all, many hands make light work.
I’m a fan of numbers two and three but I see number one far too often when I’m working with people. The truth is that worry, stress and negative thought patterns are intensely tiring and completely unproductive.
For more information on increasing your productivity check out our time management courses on our website