‘Ms. Busy’:
7 Cures!

Vered Neta

For years I used to confuse between being busy and being effective. Are you constantly on the go, juggling your business, partner, kids, friends, and volunteering? Are there never enough hours in the day?

Does this sound familiar to you? From the moment the alarm clock rings, you’re on the move. Skipping breakfast or wolfing down a granola bar on the way to work, hurrying to put makeup on while waiting in traffic, facing a brimming inbox at eight a.m., frantically looking for those important documents before a meeting… and on it goes.

If so you are suffering from the famous syndrome called ‘Ms. Busy Important’.

You think you are superwoman and should be able to do everything, without admitting how stressed, rushed or upset you feel.

For many years that was me. I felt good knowing that I can do all those things and juggle many projects and wear many hats only to find out that this Ms. Busy-Important is not getting me closer to my goals and actually not allowing me to enjoy the fullness of life.

If you suffer from the same disease of Ms. Busy-Important here are seven ways to get out of the busyness trap:

 
#1
Let go of commitments
Sounds easy but how many of us do it? One of the best ways to free up time is to cut down the number of things you are involved in. Most of you are overcommitted. Check your commitments if they are relevant to your goals today! Those that don’t fit in to what your priorities are for today – let go of them.

 
#2
Let people down
Don’t be afraid of letting people down. The truth is they’ll manage without you. People resign, quit, drop out, move away and otherwise leave commitments all the time. You are not the CEO of the world.

 
#3
Prioritize
Probably when you get to work, the first thing you do is switch on your computer and allow the world to dictate to you what to do. Next time do something else. Take five minutes to sit down at your desk and make a quick plan for what you want to get done during the day. Ask yourself: ‘What is my main priority for today? If I could achieve just one thing, what would make the day feel worthwhile? Are there any tasks nagging at my mind?’

Pick one to three key tasks that you want to get done. When you switch your computer on, work on one of the items on your list until you complete it. Before you check your email!

 
#4
Switch off your inbox
We live in the Age of Interruptions. Email is the number one cause for our busyness and poor time management. Once you switch on your Inbox you allow everyone else to become more important than what you set out to get. You become reactive instead of active.

Probably you choose to check your email when you’re unsure what to do next, or when you’re procrastinating over a difficult or unpleasant task. If your email seems to be eating up a lot of time, try the following:

• Keep your inbox closed so that new mail notifications don’t pop up and distract you.
• Check email only at certain times [once an hour, then once every two hours]. After all, emails go unanswered when you are in a meeting!
• Create template emails for common messages, or with basic information about your company’s product.
• Set up filters to automatically store newsletters, notifications and other regular incoming emails in a separate mailbox.

 
#5
Ask for help
One of my biggest lessons was that when I ask for help, not only I don’t look vulnerable or incompetent [like I feared], but also people love coming to help.

Sometimes, you might have commitments that you cannot ditch, and no amount of planning and prioritizing is going to give you enough time to get all the important things done. Whatever the source of your overwhelm – work, finances, family responsibilities, health issues – remember that there’s nothing wrong with asking for help.

In business if you are stuck with a deadline asking your support and help in your network is a great way to strengthen your relationships and create even Joint Ventures in the future.

At home, asking for help means ensuring that everyone in the household is doing a fair share. Is your partner pulling his/her weight? How about your kids? Although you might well enjoy the nurturing aspect of your role, you need to give your children the chance to grow up, and that means letting them take on responsibilities around the home. Plus, if you’re a little less busy and a little more relaxed, your family will probably be happier too.

 
#6
Learn to say ‘No’
Do you automatically say yes when you are asked to take on a new project at work, or to do a favor for a friend? If you often find yourself thinking I wish I hadn’t agreed to that, then you need to learn how to say ‘No’.

Saying ‘No’ allows you to become more self-confident and assertive. Don’t make it an emotional battle or a contest of wills. Just say no and stick to it. If you are need to give a reason, simply say, ‘I’m very busy right now, and I can’t take on anything new.’

 
#7
Honor your personal time
Give yourself the same respect that you give to others. Honor your need for personal time to relax, to have fun, and to live in the present moment without rushing on to the next.

 

 
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And now it’s your turn.
Let’s hear what are your tips, ideas and suggestions to stop the busyness syndrome?
Simply add them in the comment box below!
Thank you!

Vered Neta

Trainer, coach and author of ‘Financial Independence for Women’. Helping to create personal, business and financial success. I am the co-founder of Open Circles Academy, and founder of Balanced Business Women. My long term goal is to support women on their path to become conscious millionaires and leaders in their field of expertise. Let’s connect on Facebook or follow me onTwitter.

 
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