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Janet Nelson

I used to find myself with much more on the to-do list, then on the is-done list. Lots of reasons; I didn’t like to say 'no' when someone has a need; I enjoyed challenges; My work required my personal attention (or so I though); My aging family needed my help; and more. It is somewhat better but takes constant attention. Some tips that have helped, both big ones and small ones are:
- Only answer the phone when it is convenient. Hey... no one calls when they are late to a meeting or have an appointment. They call when it is convenient for them. It's okay to answer only when it is convenient for you.
- Prioritize what is urgent and critical to be done for that day and do ONLY those first. Get out of the habit of doing something because it will 'only take a minute'.
- Delegate, delegate, delegate. Don’t overload your staff, but be sure they are challenged. And remember.... you only care that you get from A to D. Don’t get caught up as to the order in between... only worry if they get to H by way of M. We are not as indispensable as we sometimes think.
- Practice learning to 'say no, without guilt, to preserve your happiness and your sanity'. If you asked someone to do something and they were unable do so due being in overload, you would likely be fine with that. Extend yourself the same courtesy.
Oh. One more tip. Read the old, but still valuable book The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey by Ken Blanchard. And it's short. Buy a few for your staff as well.

R. John Gaudu

Although I am an admitted "Serial Entrepreneur” with a penchant toward using ADHD as a normal mode of operating I have found that my "overloaded moments" are mainly self inflicted. By trying to maintain a high standard of achievement with equally high levels of contact spanning multiple issues I tend to feel as if I have offered a disservice to them all. The most effective resolution I have found is to prioritize the top 5 issues I am facing and delegate the rest to trusted associates. In all likelihood you are not the only one who can deal effectively with any given issue yet at times we all feel obligated as the "responsible party" to do so. By passing along other important but possibly lower priority issues to a trusted associate you will be instilling confidence, fostering a sense of trust and allowing others around you an opportunity to shine and attain a level of their own accomplishment.

Bruce Peters

Let us know how it works out. Remember that it takes time to change habits and implement new ones.
On today's radio show we talked again about the need for clarity of purpose and roles.
Another tool in the leadership(yourself and others) is a "Personal Retreat". We'll blog
on this later this week. Stay tuned.

Mary Coombs

I am guilty of believing I am in constant overload (or chronic overload) however you want to look at it. I am just starting to read Verne Harnish's book, Mastering the Rockefeller Habits. Establishing a planning context for my top 5 and top 1 of 5 is the rule he espouses. I am going to test his theories and will let you know how it goes. Thanks for the recommendation Bruce!

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