One Secret to Getting More Done

Do you ever find yourself so busy that you don't know which way you're going anymore?

There's actually quite a simple answer to that - although not necessarly an easy one. It' s a tiny little two-letter word.

"No."

When life or business gets so busy that you are feeling overwhelmed, something needs to give. Unfortunately, all too often it's the important things in life that we give up on first - time for our health and sanity, time for our important relationships, time for our dreams, and so on.

Sometimes it really does come down to learning to say no.

That's a lesson I learned the hard way - by burning out, as they say. Trying to do too much, trying to please everybody else, not listening to my own heart.

Nowadays, even when I am tempted, as I was this week, to get involved again in a group that I would love to be part of, I said no. Because I know that I can't do it all.

In some ways, since I've learned to say no, I have a saner life, I am happier and more content. And oddly enough, I still get a lot done. Partly because I don't stretch myself so thin and partly because I am far more focused in what I do.

I recently read that the number three reason for procrastination (which certainly keeps you from getting where you want to go) is being overwhelmed - trying to do too much. They also commented that when you are overwhelmed, you actually slow down and become less productive.

So how is your schedule? Doing too much? Feeling overwhelmed?

Maybe it's time to take a good look at just what all you are trying to do. Do you really, really need to be doing all of what's on your list? Maybe it's time to start saying "No."

Like I said earlier, it's a simple solution, but not exactly an easy one.