Shine With Grace

Are you stretching yourself too thin?

Don’t you feel that there are too many things to do, too many projects to look into, and simply, too many ideas/options/choices and therefore, distractions…  

And this is different from being busy.  When one is busy but focused, he/she could be pretty efficient in getting the things done.  But, if you are stretching yourself too thin, you’d probably find yourself all over the place, peeping here and there but at the end of the day achieved very little.  And this drains energy and harms productivity.

Often who does too much does too little.

~ Italian Proverb

Getting Back On Track

Set a clear goal- You need a direction to stay on track.  If you go shopping without a shopping list, you would properly end up buying a couple of stuff that you later discover that you don’t really need.  And this is actually similar to what happens in our lives.  If you don’t know what you ultimately want to achieve, it is pretty impossible to figure out the path. 

The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want.

~ Ben Stein

Your direction is more important than your speed.

~ Richard L. Eyans

Review constantly- To stay on track, you will have to review your alignment constantly.  It is simply too easy to be taken astray by the nitty gritty…  Every week, if not every day, find some quality time to review the actions you’ve taken, and see whether they serve you reaching your goals.  If not, you will have to adjust your strategies and use of time accordingly.

First things first - There are so many things to do, many claim to be urgent.  Yet, do they justify your use of time?  Remember Stephen Covey’s teaching here - allocate your time and energy to cater the important things first - and you will find that you have less urgent fire-fighting needed in the long run.

80/20 - Remember the 80/20 Rule?  Not all things/action/people are created equal.  Do what brings the biggest result with least effort (mostly those are the things you enjoy and perform the best) and you will find an upsurge of productivity.

Baby steps - We dream big.  Yet, it’s hard to attend the (big) goal in one day.  Set the goal, define the tasks and action one by one.  You will find that it’s easier to handle.

Get the momentum - Sometimes we are lazy, and we like to postpone (especially in starting something new.)  Don’t let yourself step back.  Do something, start right away, once you get the momentum, it’s easier to carry on.

Take a break and restart - Even machines can’t work 7/24, not to mention us human beings.  Our productivity would only drop if we go non-stop.  Do take a break from time to time, recharge and you will find that the time spent on relaxation all worth-while.

Related posts:

•  A Strategy For Happiness And Efficiency 
•  Are You Working For Work’s Sake? 
•  Work Smart - And You Don’t Need To Work That Hard!
• Why You Should Do What You Love
• “What Is It You Were Unwilling To Do” Vs The Next Level - Inspired By The Interview Of Tony Leung of Lust, Caution

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