Do you take on too much in an effort to prove how valuable and capable you are? If so, you may be inadvertently doing the opposite. Let me suggest a different way of approaching your daily tasks and list items that may be more realistic and effective.
A primary component of effective self-management is in implementing ways of thinking and doing that fortify your personal power.
Unfortunately, we sometimes develop behaviors and thinking patterns that actually do the opposite.
Personal power grows when you feel confident and competent.
It’s easy to get the idea in today’s world that the more you do, the more valuable you are. This can sometimes prompt us to keep piling things on our to do list in an effort to make ourselves feel more valuable.
The thing is, we are human. We can’t do everything for everybody. And when we find that we are unable to get it all done like we planned and agreed to, we end up beating ourselves up. This diminishes self-confidence and undermines personal power!
If you get a sinking feeling when you think about getting all your tasks done, it is likely because you have simply taken on too much…. Not because you are inadequate or incompetent.
However, there is hope for recovery!
It starts with a simple thought: I choose to do (or not to do) task X.
Every task you put on your to-do list, and everything you don’t do in order to check off that task is a choice.
When you put yourself in the choosing role, you take yourself out of the victim role. You take back your personal power!
An important side note here is: it’s okay to choose to do something other than what appears on your list. So, if your family wants time with you, you can make the choice to give them that, even if you had originally planned for something else. And if the something else needs to be done, you can choose to schedule another time to be with your family.
YOU are the one in charge!