5 Decisions to Direct Your Destiny
If you've ever felt like you're running around chasing your own tail, racing around in circles like you're busy doing "busy work", but you're just not getting ahead in those all important areas of your life that matter most to you, then this is definitely for you!!
Have you ever felt this way? Have you ever been so busy, that it feels like there's just not enough hours in the day? Everything's either urgent or important BUT there just doesn't seem to be enough time or urgency for the things most important to you - like your loved ones, your family and friends, having a social life, or your personal projects, passions and interests?
If we're honest with ourselves, we all know that we've felt this way or been here at one time or another. In fact, you might be experiencing these feelings right now. You might be sitting there thinking....Yeah that's me! Or perhaps you know someone who is stuck or trapped in this space.
So if you are feeling like this is your life right now...KNOW THIS....It doesn't need to be this way. With more focus and discipline, you can achieve deliberate action and master this area of Planning & Scheduling.
Here’s what we know. By implementing our framework below for better Planning & Scheduling, and bringing more focus and discipline to the areas of your life which matter most, you can absolutely break the cycle of feeling like there's just not enough time in the day. You can break the pattern of feeling like you're just not moving ahead with those areas that matter most in your life.
What if you could experience more of this in your days, weeks, months and years?
What would life be like, if every day you had a framework, a focused management approach to ensure you don't feel like you're putting out fires all day and running from one urgency or emergency to the next?
What if we were to say you can get more time back and you can get ahead in the areas that matter most to you? How would that sound? How would that change your life?
Let’s have a look at how you can achieve this using our simple decision making framework for better Planning & Scheduling.
This is our 5 Decisions to Direct Your Destiny:
Decision #1: Do
This is about getting absolute clarity on what you are responsible for. What is it you must do. These are things you simply can't outsource or can't put off any more.
These are the things you know you have to do. Whether you like it or not, whether you want to or not...these are the things you MUST do if you are to move the areas of your life forward that matter most to you. You know what they are, and you know what YOU must do!
Get clarity on what it is YOU need to do!
Decision #2: Delegate
This is about all the things which need to be done, but not necessarily by you. Now for all the control freaks out there or the perfectionist who are thinking...but I can do this better than they can...you need to loosen up and let that stuff go! That's not serving you...and deep down you know it! Stop micro managing, stop controlling or playing the perfectionist.
Step into Delegating and see how liberating this can be. By doing this you’re empowering others to support and serve you.
And remember...done is better than perfect! So, stop fooling yourself into thinking you have to do everything. What can you delegate?
Decision #3: Defer
Here's where you really need to come to grips with what's most important right now. Ask yourself these questions. What's urgent about this? Is this urgency real? Does this really take priority?
Is this important right now or can this be scheduled for another time? If so, then this is something you can Defer.
Firstly though, a quick warning or disclaimer. Be careful not to make this category your “go to” decision or option, because if you find yourself doing this too often, you may be playing into procrastination and we all know how that can turn out.
Look at your priorities. Look at what's truly urgent and what's not. Then decide what you can defer. Remember, it's not that you're not going to do it, you're just deferring this in your schedule to a later point in time.
Decision #4: Delete
Have you ever had something on your "to do list" and it just keeps moving from one list to the next, but you never make a move on it? Then over time after it appears on list after list, you come to the realisation ...."I don't need to do this anymore, or, this is no longer important for me to do" and you just scratch it off your list.
Be more decisive and Delete all the unnecessary things you load on to your to do lists. Get better clarity on what's most important to you, be bold and Delete more things.
This will free up so much emotional clutter and give you the feeling of getting more time back.
Decision #5: Default
Here we are referring to what your Default answer is when you get an invite, a request or you're asked to do something? Have you ever found yourself saying "Yes" to something, then only moments later you think, why did I do that? Why did I say yes? How am I going to fit that in with everything I've got going on?
You need to train yourself so that your Default answer is "No". And the way to do this is by framing it positively, such as "Thanks for the invite, thanks for the request, I can't make it this weekend, how are you placed 3 weeks from now at 10am? Does that work for you? “
Or, “I can take that on Boss, but which of these things over here would you like me to drop or pause?”
Can you see the difference? This means you’re taking back control of your time, your schedule and what's on your plate.
It can be a “Thanks but unfortunately I can't make that”, or it can be a counter proposal which works better with your plan and schedule. If you schedule 3, 4 or more weeks into the future, most people will have nothing planned and will have great availability.
These are our 5 Decisions to Direct Your Destiny. If you need support with integrating these steps or if we can serve you in any way, reach out and let's start a conversation.
And remember, for your best life:
Seek Clarity
Step Forward with Courage
Stay Consistent.
