I work with a lot of executives in several different industries, but I consistently hear variations of the same story: Executives today are overworked and overextended; they feel tired and frustrated with a lack of time and a lack of energy.
Whether you are an executive or not, we all often feel like we have too much to do and not nearly enough time to get it all done. What’s more, many of us feel that no matter how much we do, it’s never enough. It doesn’t matter how much time you spend at the office (wherever “office” is for you) or how late you stay up dealing with emails long after everyone else is asleep, you never feel the satisfaction of being caught up.
Then there’s life. Many of us have too many kid activities during our free time. (How many of you “divide and conquer” to be there for your kids at every event—one parent going to one thing, another parent to another?) Maybe you have aging parents that need your help. Maybe you struggle to find time to exercise and keep up with your relationships.
So, as we enter 2023, I want to challenge you to reevaluate your to-do lists. I want to encourage you to say “no” more often. I have coached for years that every time you say “yes” to something, you are saying “no” to something else (not to mention, you’re adding to your already overloaded workload). I’d like for you to do more of what matters to you in 2023.
You might agree that saying “no” sounds pretty good. But it’s not always practical. How do you say “no” to your boss; your employees; or spouse, child, parent or dear friend? It’s a simple reality that we have to say “yes” to a lot of things in our lives. Even more reason to be authentic with ourselves about what really matters!
There are hundreds of things we do in a day, month and year that do not move us forward in a positive way. Situations in your life can be divided into pluses and minuses. Some even are neutral. Aim to spend your precious time on the pluses. With the people and situations that make you happy and healthy.
Maybe it’s time for someone else to be commissioner of your daughter’s soccer league. Are you serving on a nonprofit board because you are passionate about the ministry or are you doing it out of obligation or because someone asked you and you felt you had to say yes?
At work, do you do things because you have always done them that way? Could technology help reduce what you are doing? Could simply not doing certain things give you more margin? I bet the answers to both these questions is yes.
Just like an athlete can shorten their career by over training and not giving their body time to rest and restore, working at anything 50 to 60 hours a week, year after year and decade after decade, has the same effect of reducing your performance over time. Many of us are just wearing out our mind, body and spirit!
Here are some things to think about experiencing less of: Email. YouTube. Social media. Eating. Drinking. Resentment. Frustration. Anger.
Senator Paul Tsongas wrote in his memoir, quoting something his friend Arnold Zack said to him: “No man on his deathbed ever said, ‘I wish I had spent more time on my business.’”
If you are aiming to do more positive things, here is what I suggest: More thinking time. More planning. (Remember, one minute of planning sees 10 minutes of execution!) More time away from your smart phone. More sleep. More reading. More prayer and reflection. More stretching. More time with family and friends.
Think about what you need to do less of, more of, and what things you need to stop doing entirely. Sort this out, do what you need to do more efficiently, and not only will you do what you do better, but also your mental and physical health will improve. Life will improve. And you will do what you do better.
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