I'm not a robot.
I can't work non-stop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (although sometimes I do think this would be super handy–like the week before an event I'm running!).
And sometimes, of course, it all gets too much.
Doing your Thing too much can make you question if your Thing really is your Thing, as it's all getting 'too hard' and didn't Lucy tell me my Thing was easy–yes, she did! So what's all this hard work about, then? This can't be my Thing–I'm running around like a crazy person and it's not all working, and I've had enough, etc.
And because I'm not a robot, just like this mini-rant above, I have emotions that sometimes get away from me :) when all I actually am is tired... I've been trying to do too much.
And here's what I know about too much–you can't keep it up! It's not when you're doing your best work, and it's probably going to put you off your Thing.
But you know you're in charge, right? If you're doing too much, do less.
IT IS THAT SIMPLE!
Take an hour off, or a morning off, or a day off. Go nuts, even, and book a holiday–the world is not going to stop because you decide to get off for a little while.
And I'd be pretty certain that not everything you're doing is necessary (or at least you don't have to be doing it).
Now, I'm a worker. I LOVE to do my Thing and even though I know all about 'pacing myself', sometimes I realise I'm catching my breath as my gentle jog has turned into a sprint. Sometimes even a sprint up a hill!
Get back on Track.
Organise your ideal schedule.
Look at what you HAVE to do. If you have clients to serve, of course serve them. But are there any who would be OK to reschedule to give you some space?
If you have marketing that MUST go out, see if you can't stretch the schedule a little, or get some help there.
Emails do NOT have to be answered the minute they arrive in your inbox. If you've ever emailed me, you'll know it might take me days to reply. There was no memo ever that all emails have a reply deadline on them...(and if that is making you wince, I have to share a story I heard once where someone deleted every email they ever received and figured if it was important the person would call them!).
Look at what you're selling. An easy way to get out of overwhelm is to sell less (not in £turnover terms, but in 'choice'). You don't have to sell 100 different ways of doing your Thing. 1 is fine, 2 is great, 3 is wonderful. It can stop there. The more offers you have the more systems you'll need and the more you'll need to do to keep it all under control... (been there, got the T-shirt for that one!).
Who is helping you? And don't always think here in 'obvious' terms of support in your business–do you need help to keep you healthy (a personal trainer? a nutritionist? a massage therapist?). Time out can really help you with time management (usually as it snaps your perspective of what's actually important right back into place). The busier I am, the more training sessions I have, and the more 'care' will be scheduled. Do you need help around the house? Running errands, booking travel and organising the kids? All help is help for you to get clear on doing your Thing better.
When do you work best? Are you stealing your best time away from yourself? If you're a morning person, block out that time for really good work (Thinging, for example!) and don't do that last. Yes, I know you're supposed to eat your frogs first, but you can have those for elevenses once you've done your Thing best. If you try and 'fit it in' during the day, you might take twice as long.
Make decisions quickly. Oh, I really need to listen to myself here (still working on this one!). You usually know 'instantly' what you want to do (that's called intuition, btw) but you may then decide to allocate a lot more time to 'deciding'. Don't. Just do! Not only will you save yourself time but the clarity will free up thinking space for doing your Thing.
The answer to being too busy is never to do more, that's fanning the fire. Step back. Stop. Cut things out so you can do your big Thing better.
Phew!
Want to talk more about this?
That’s all so true Lucy! So often we keep going on our little hamster wheels, don’t we, trying to achieve everything but feeling stressed and not focusing on what is really important. Whenever I feel out of balance, I find going for a walk, doing some mindfulness or having a chat with someone I trust, really helpful. When working with clients I help them find ways to create some space in their lives as a crucial first step to finding balance. With a clearer head they can then prioritise what needs sorting most urgently, e.g. work, health or family/friends/fun etc. It’s about being empowered to create the balance that we want. It all starts though, as Lucy outlines by making some SPACE.