It’s Monday afternoon, and you’re only two items down on
your 15-item to-do list—and that’s just today’s list! No matter how much you
do, the work only seems to continue to pile on. Unfortunately, I know the feeling
all too well.
With my girlfriend Jennifer Lopez during New York Fashion Week, I love runway shows!)
As women we tend to wear several hats—like that of a
business women, a mother, a daughter, a wife, a girlfriend, a friend, a miracle
worker—, which means our lists of responsibilities tend to grow rather than
lessen. But the good news is, we are the CEOs of our lives. We are in control
of those lists and what goes on and off of them. It’s easy to get overwhelmed
and think you have no choice in the matter. But the truth is you do. You have
the choice to say yes or—gasp—no.
( At our 2010 convention in Miami with my husband JR Ridinger)
By taking on too many projects you are hurting both yourself
and anyone else involved. You will be overwhelmed and stressed, which means you
will not be able to produce at your best quality. Therefore the people involved
will have to pick up your slack, anyway. It’s better to be honest and explain
how your workload is at maximum capacity. Or sometimes we can delegate a
portion of the work. Remember what JR says about duplicity? Find someone that
can take on the project for you and will require minimal supervision.
I understand that a lot of us don’t like to admit that we’re
overwhelmed. But once you push your ego to the side, I promise you’ll be so
much happier with the work you do decide to take on. Imagine if you could put
more time into the things you love. It’s about quality not quantity.
So let’s start by making a list. Stick with me here! Make a
list of all your projects in order of priority to you. This is very important to remember: Do not prioritize
according to other people’s priorities. Make sure you really ask yourself which
projects are at the top of your list—not anyone else’s. Start by letting go of
the last project on the list. Call anyone involved with that project and
discuss your thoughts. Chances are, they’ll understand your position.
What’s on your list? Let me know follow me on twitter @lorenridinger
