How often do any of these thoughts occur to you?

 

• “I’ve got to do that.”

• “I must do this.”

• “I cannot go to bed before this is complete.”

• “There’s not enough time in the day.”

• “I’m so tired.”

• “There’s never an end to it all.”

• “I never feel complete at the end of my day.”

• “Where does the day go?”

• “What’s it all for anyway?”

 

Do-aholism

 

Many of us are do-aholics, “aholic” as in alcoholic. We are task-aholics. We are do-more-more-more-aholics.

 

You're a bad manager

​

For ourselves, we are like the poor manager whose idea of management is to expect and demand far more of the employee than can possibly be achieved, or than can possibly be achieved with any grace and enjoyment.

 

And then, at the end of the day, we berate the employee for not getting it all done...or even enough done.

 

For ourselves, for our own life, we must fulfill at least two separate roles the doer and the manager or planner.

 

Most of us do a poor job of managing our own life, often thinking that good management consists of making interminable and un-doable lists of things that must be done.

 

Become a great manager and planner for yourself

​

Let me suggest that the primary job of the manager is to set the week up, to set the day up so that the doer can win at least 95 percent of the time. And, by winning, I mean that, at the end of the day, you can look back, as both the doer and manager, and say, “I got everything done on the list and even did a few extra items!”

 

The job of the manager is to realistically look at how long it will likely take to accomplish the different tasks,

and to include in the planning enough buffer for breakdowns and even make room to take advantage of currently unseen opportunities that may arise.

 

The manager will most likely need to choose courage to say, “No, I will not do this today” or “No, I will not include this in my life” or even, "I will cancel my commitment to do that."

 

Life is a super-duper buffet to select from

​

You can only partake of what will easily and enjoyable fit on your fixed 168-hour-per-week plate.

​

For every yes you say, you must say "no? to yourself or to others a thousand times, either implicitly or explicitly. When you are not willing to say "no," then you sabotage the yeses you have previously said and the yeses that may arise in response to new opportunities.

 

A good "manager" will happily accept and work with the limitations of what his or her "doer" can do

​

The job of the manager is to set things up so that the doer can win and enjoy the process!

 

Do you consistently set aside time for your "manager and planner," an expression of your Next, to set up your year, to set up your week, to set up your day so that your “doer,” an expression of your Now, can win?

 

If not, put a structure in place to do that now.

 

Honor yourself for the courage that you choose to say "no" to yourself and others so that all of you can win.

 

​