5 tips for wrangling the chaos
“Got a Minute?”
That question can suck every minute out of your day. You want to be helpful and open. But when you become “at the effect” of everyone else, you may get frustrated. Maybe even snap at them? That’s the opposite of being helpful and open. Here are a couple of tips to deal with the chaos.
1. Map out the week. In your weekly planning meeting – your “Meeting with Me” – take a swing at blocking out time to do day to day activities, family time, personal time and project time. Leave some open time. Schedule the week before it starts. And, yes, it changes when Monday morning comes. So move things around as needed.
2. Communicate when you are available. Honor your team by setting meeting times. That way you aren’t a distraction to them, interrupting them all day long with your, “Got a minutes.” When someone says, “Got at minute,” you can respond with, “Can it wait for our meeting?”
3. Close the door. You can have some time to yourself. You can leave the office and go for a walk. You don’t have to be available every second to everyone. Just sayin’.
4. Practice meditation. You may need to take a class or attend a yoga session. A calm mind isn’t your natural state? Mine neither. However, I am practicing and it helps. Practice is a course of study, not necessarily resulting in instant transformation. Though there are moments.
5. When you are overwhelmed, consider it an indication that the things you intending are making their way to you. Nice right? Can you live with a little mess? A little unknowing? Sure you can.
Self-help author Mike Dooley says…
“It’s not difficult to know how your dreams will show up. It’s impossible to know. It’s chaos.”
However, if you place into your day, some intention of what you really really want, then assume that will be the end result. In the meantime, make a plan…and be open to a distraction or two?
I’m devoted to making my dreams come true. How about you? I’m discovering ways to stay focused, yet open to adventure and serendipitous short-cuts. I’ll be sharing more about how a highly-distractible person like me is cutting through the noise. Would you share your thoughts and strategies, too?
Ellen Rohr is the author of The Weekend Biz Plan.
