Life Transitions: 5 Tips for When You’re Busy & You Don’t Have Enough Time

How’s that for perspective?

We all have the same amount of time each day, week, month and year. Whether it’s your neighbor, your relative three generations back, or Julius Caesar, we all have (or had) the same amount of time.

It’s tempting to think/say, “But they don’t have the responsibilities I do” or “What about this medical situation that just came up” or “My situation is more complicated than theirs.” While these statements may be true, it’s important to acknowledge that without designing a plan of attack, you’ll continue making similar statements for the foreseeable future.

So when you feel you don’t have enough time, what are you really saying? Here is a sample of what’s happening:

• You said “yes” when you could have said “no” because you wanted to please other people or you weren’t prepared with a comfortable phrase for saying “no”.
• You have an unrealistic view of your overall schedule and how much time each task takes, so you planned to accomplish more than time would allow.
• You didn’t prioritize, so you reacted to the urgency of others.
• Not having systems for activities you do each day consumes time which could be used to complete other assignments.
• You didn’t plan out your day, so you responded to whichever task “caught your eye.”

I wasn’t there when Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel but I can make an educated guess about how his time was generally spent during the four-year project: he learned the technique (he was a sculptor by background), planned how the finished paintings would look, acquired the needed supplies, formed a team and delegated assignments, etc. While I assume he took some time off (it was hard to be on the scaffolding all day!), I feel confident that he didn’t watch hours of TV or text his friend.?

I’m also fairly certain that he didn’t start five other projects. He wanted to complete the Sistine Chapel before he moved on to other endeavors.

I know that you don’t usually have the luxury of working on one only project at a time. At the same time, you may jeopardize the completion of one project when you get caught up in too many other tasks.

What can you do?

Develop “no” statements. Check out the Top 10 Ways to Say “No.

Decide to pause. A pause is a powerful, yet underutilized tool. The brief respite helps the brain escape from the mind chatter loop. It also gives you perspective and clarity. I can hear you saying, “But I don’t have time to pause!” I’m not talking about an hour long interruption in your day. Here are a few ideas:

• Close your eyes and take five deep breaths.
• Count your steps while walking to the end of the hall and back.
• Step outside and enjoy the sunshine for one minute.
• Sing or hum to a favorite song.
• Do a short mindfulness practice.

Defer. Crisis or not, there are always some tasks that can be put off until later. I’m not saying it’s easy, just that it can be done. If an activity doesn’t have a specific deadline or if there aren’t negative consequences, then delaying the task is a viable option.

Delegate. Let me guess…”no one can do it the way you want it” or “you don’t have time to delegate” or “there’s no one to delegate to.” Remember, delegating now could mean you never have to do that task again. Effective delegation relieves you of the obligation (though not the accountability – but that’s a different topic). There’s almost always someone to delegate to, you may just have to be creative.

Define non-negotiables. We all have activities and assignments that we’ve decided we absolutely must complete. It might be related to our physical or mental health: regular exercise, monthly massage, daily meditation, etc. It could be an obligation to another person: weekly dinner with your parents, attending someone’s special event, etc. It may be specific duties in your professional life.

What we sometimes forget is that if we’ve defined our non-negotiables, then everything else can be negotiated. Maybe you’ll employ a few “no’s.” You might defer, delegate, or drop a task altogether. The point is, you have choices – even if you don’t really like the options.

Tried those approaches? Experiment with something new. Think about someone (living or dead) that you admire. Ask yourself: “What would <that person> do in my situation?” See if thinking outside the box you’re in helps you gain some time you didn’t think you had!

Which strategy will you try next time you’re saying, “I don’t have enough time!”

Type your strategy below, along with any questions or comments.