| Stop feeling overwhelmed by work and life |
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| Friday, 20 June 2008 07:12 | |
 Have you ever felt so overwhelmed with work, projects, and life you simply had no idea where to begin or what to do? Sound familiar? For many of us, that feeling of having more on our plate than we can handle seems to come along more often than we would like. Here are a few simple tips on how to deal with your overwhelming life: It is so hard to say NO to potential customers, especially when you are first starting your business. Entrepreneur Melani Gordon says that when she first started her service-based business, she would say yes to every client who walked in the door. Eventually she realized that she “can’t be everything to everyone” and began being more selective with her clients and types of services offered. This being said, you also need to learn to say NO to time-consuming projects that might not be a great fit for your long-term goals. As a successful small business owner with brains, you might have people knocking at your door with different business ideas, ventures, and proposals. Learn to say NO. If it doesn’t fit into your business goals and area of interest, do not be afraid to say so. Despite what they say, you are not the only one who can do the job, so let someone else. Pull out your planner, make a list of everything you have to do, figure out deadlines, and prioritize. Now make appointments with yourself and keep them. When you are working on a project, you already have an appointment with that project so do not let anyone else take away from this time. I’ve had many entrepreneurs tell me that many new customers really I divide my life into work life compartments and personal life compartments. Even in my personal life I have my must do activities: clean, exercise, visit with friends, spend time with my spouse, and travel. Some things are higher on my to do list than other things (I never claim to be Martha Stewart). Never let your work time interfere with your personal time and never let your personal time interfere with your work time. There are times when you have to say enough is enough and simply take a step back. If you are feeling stressed, sometimes if you leave everything and take a step back for a few minutes or hours, you can come back feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the world. We all need a break, so take one. Go for a walk, inhale and exhale the fresh air, meditate, do something else, or try working on another project for a few minutes. Come back to your activity after you have had a short break and try again. It"s not just a Nike slogan. Quit putting your project off, sit down, and do it! Why waste more time while other things pile up? Live in the moment and do it Katie Skow Entrepreneur Goddess |