Carol

During some of my most difficult projects I’d wake up in the middle of the night with my mind racing, worrying about how to recover from the latest delay, or wrestling with how to create a simple picture to illustrate a difficult issue that no one wanted to face.   In times like these, the only way I could relax was to get up, go to the computer, and write everything down.  Before long, logic prevailed over emotion, my mind relaxed, and I’d be able to go back to sleep.

Unfortunately for my team, I wrote them emails while the ideas were fresh, often sending  a flurry of correspondence in the middle of the night. As their manager, I became concerned when I noticed I was receiving real-time replies.

So how do you keep from driving yourself and your team crazy?  How do you stay calm and rational so that you can remain focused on what’s important, and not get distracted by every shiny object that crosses your path?

My solution was to get everything out of my head.  I wrote down every problem, project, or action that was causing me stress. I looked at each item on the list and asked myself: what is the value to be gained from this activity? How does this fit into the bigger picture? How does this lead me toward my goals and objectives?

Once I elevated my thinking to this broader context, things fell into place. I was able to see what was most important, what could be delegated, and what really didn’t need to be done at all.   It was surprisingly effective.

When you’re facing what seems an insurmountable jumble of issues, take a step back and focus on those things that will provide the biggest return for the least effort – and the most value to you.

After all, isn’t a good night’s sleep a goal worth achieving?

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