Slow Down to Go Faster

I’m currently re-reading (actually skimming) the book The Procrastinator’s Handbook – Mastering the Art of Doing It Now by Rita Emmett. It’s not a book I have ever read straight through, but it’s one that I pick up from time to time and use as a refresher whenever I feel like I’m beginning to be pulled away from what matters most to me.

Life can sometimes feel like a constant balancing act of fulfilling opportunities — or dare I say: “I want you to like me” moments — that compete for my time. When this happens I find it healthy to stop for a moment and ask myself, how much can I really take on, enjoy and handle well?

Here’s a pop quiz from the book to help evaluate the tendency to over commit:

Do I put off things important to my life because other people’s priorities always come first?
YES / NO

Do I commit to so many things that there’s not enough time to do any of them and I always feel overwhelmed?
YES / NO

Do I think I don’t need to do all the things others need to do to manage their time? (e.g. day-timer, notebook, calendar)
YES / NO

Do I inconvenience my family and loved ones because I’m overbooked?
YES / NO

Do I put off taking care of tasks important to my finances, relationships, health or career while I’m out doing other, less important things?
YES / NO

Do I say “yes” to so many “fun” events that they overwhelm me and are no longer fun?
YES / NO

Do I often feel fragmented, frantic or frazzled because I’m overbooked?
YES / NO

Am I so afraid of missing out on something that I say “yes” to everything?
YES / NO

Do I spend my time with people or groups that I used to love to be with but now no longer enjoy?
YES / NO

If you answered yes to any of these questions (I did!) you need to start saying “no” to some of the requests for your time.

“Sometimes you must slow down to go faster.” —Ann McGee Cooper

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