The day comes to a close and you realize you didn’t accomplish what you needed to. The emails have built up, and
you’re already feeling anxious about what tomorrow will be like (not another day like today!) And that happens most days. How can you sustain this pace?
When you spend the day reacting to other people’s priorities you don’t reach yours. You may be thinking “yes, I’ve heard that before.” Let’s be clear, that is exactly what email is – responding to others, their fires. And that is where the overwhelmed feeling throughout the day (and in the middle of the night) stems from.
Instead
Spend 5 – 10 minutes planning for your day. You will get so good at this that it will soon take less than 2 minutes. Some people like doing this at the end of the day for the following day. Others prefer to start their day this way. Try both and decide which one works best for you.
Prioritize 2 – 3 tasks that are a must do. No more. I know you want to have 5 – 10. That is setting yourself up for failure. Consider the 4 D’s of Prioritization below. What do you have to do today? What can be delegated to someone else? What can be deleted (no longer necessary, not relevant, etc.)? What can be delayed to a day down the road?
Eat the frog first thing in the morning. Do those tasks (big or small) first thing in the morning. They won’t hang over your head, taking away valuable brain space worrying about them. You will feel accomplished when each one is completed. Which leaves your brain open to creativity, problem solving, and patience.
What not to do
Start your day responding to emails and voicemails. I know…you have to get back to your client right away. Instead: Give yourself 15 minutes to quickly look through your emails.
Be in charge of your day and you will feel significantly more accomplished, less stressed, and happier at the end of the day. And when you have a day that is a bit crazy, you won’t panic because it’s just one day.