I guess my biggest problem is keeping track of maybe 30-40 little projects that can’t be done immediately and need a few steps to them. I get anxious keeping on top of them and can feel overwhelmed.

Help! Any ideas?

John – UK

Here’s my answer to John.

Hi John

Thanks for writing!

Yes, I do have some ideas.

1. Make a master to-do list of all those projects (there’s a form in the Organising Success Pack for you to use)
2. Can you delegate any? If yes, then definitely do so!
3. Now choose the top 1 – 3 projects in terms of priority and schedule some time to work on them over the next month. If you’re not sure about how long they’ll take, add some buffer time in.
   Keep chipping away at your list every month, and then every week.
4. Break out of overwhelm, might also help you as will Big, juicy goals which you get when you sign up for the Gold VIP Inner Circle.

Let me know if you need any further help!

Facebook is a social networking site in case you’re one of the few people on the planet who hasn’t yet heard about it.

I actually got introduced to FB through a coaching client and my profile lay dormant until someone I’d met at a networking event added me to her friends. And so it grew

How am I using Facebook?

1. To find old friends from school and university
This is such great fun. I like to think I look the same but I know I’m definitely 10 kg heavier (!).

2. Introducing people to one another
I’ve found FB to be a GREAT place to mingle. I am good at this in real life – I often think, “oh, you should meet so-and-so” and I hook people up so I LOVE that I can now do it on Facebook too!

3. Keep track of my goals
The one application I love is On track. Suzanne and I will be meeting up in Scotland so she set that as a goal, invited me to be her accountability partner and so, of course, I had to put my whole trip on there too and plan out the action steps and deadlines.

4. Networking
When I add people as my friends, I generally add a message only if I don’t know them. So if I’ve exchanged a lot of email with someone, I don’t add a personal message unless I want to comment on their profile, like “great pic” or “didn’t know you lived in ________”.

However, if they don’t know me but I know of them (either through reading their newsletter/ blog/ listening to a teleclass/ etc.), I write a note and tell them how I know them. It just helps you feel like less of an internet stalker

5. Marketing my business
I’ve added applications that link to my organising blog, fleshed out my profile to display all my websites, and just recently started writing on other people’s walls with my full name and website URL.

So how are you using Facebook these days? If not, go create your free profile and add me to your friends.

This post was originally published in 2008

1. I decided to go out even though I felt like I should be working to try and catch up. Had a great evening and totally forgot about all my “problems”.
2. I printed out 10 of my master to do lists and used one page for each of my projects.
3. I wrote down every single little thing I had to do – phone x, send email to y, check z on website, etc, etc. Somehow seeing it all and getting it out of my head freed me.
4. The next day I had another blood test so had another short day. But this time, armed with my lists, I just focussed and ploughed through those lists.
5. I actually finished all those tasks in about 3 hours and was on track again.

So you see even a time management coach also goes through periods of overwhelm and craziness

How do you cope with overwhelm?

P.S. Check out how you can break out of overwhelm

Remember my last post on a quick way to find your passion?

I also thought I’d clarify just one thing. Usually your passion is expressed WHILE you are helping others.

Mindi mentioned to me once that she’d travel the world while taking photos Mindi happens to be a very talented photographer so I know they’d be gorgeous photos!

BTW, Mindi, sorry to pick on you, but I feel like doing some quick spot coaching…

Now, if she shared those photos with others and used them to inspire creativity (as she already does with me through her blog) or bring beauty to others, she’d be helping people in that way.

See? Easy!

Now over to you —>>

How would YOU most like to help people?

People often email me saying, “I don’t know what my dreams are” or “how do I find my passion”.

It’s something many thirty-somethings struggle with, the age-old, “is this all there is to life?” question

So today I thought I’d tell you a really, really quick way to get in the right direction of your passion.

If money, family and time were not a problem, how would you spend your time?

Most people then say they’d travel the world

If you’re one of those, then question 2 is this…

And after you’re done travelling the world, how would you then spend your time?

Leave your answers in the comments!

P.S. I usually do a 90-minute coaching session to help people discover their passion with a comprehensive assessment – this one question is not meant to replace that at all!

LOL

Sorry, I had to laugh. I have been in MANY situations like this too.

You can do things in a number of ways:

Direct and straightforward
Generally, my approach in life is to be direct, but in an office, I suggest trying another way first and only if, after numerous attempts, you don’t see a change, then you should be direct.

Office politics is alive and kicking, people, and if we spend 8 hours a day there, we don’t want to make it worse than it has to be, right?!

Clear but subtle
This is my preferred method.

I would pick my battles and only do this in the mornings, when I had a big and looming deadline, or at peak productive time.

Option 1

As you’re walking into the office, say good morning to everybody and then announce to Loud Colleague, “Okay, Jane, today I have LOTS of work to do so I’m going to sit here quietly and not move my butt until this is all done.”

Notice you haven’t said anything about how they are keeping you out of your work.

This works really well because…

1. it’s all about you so the other person won’t get defensive
2. they feel like they’re partnering with you to keep you working

Option 2
I’ve also just ignored the person and worked furiously and then when they say, “Marcia, are you listening?”, I can honestly say, “sorry, no, I really have to focus so I just blocked out all sounds”.

After a couple of these sessions, they start getting the hint that you can’t work and talk all the time.

Option 3
Use your iPod at work and pull your hair behind your ears so the earphones are clearly visible

This is actually more or less acceptable in offices these days. I personally don’t like it because I love the team vibe but in open-plan offices, you’ve got to do what you need to get things done.

Hope this helped!

How would you deal with this situation? Please share in the comments.

I know I need to eat better and exercise more but how do I actually make the switch from thinking to doing?

I recently signed up a new coaching client specifically for time management.

I had a question from a client who was working late every evening until 7pm. She is meant to work until 4:30!

How do I leave the office earlier? I don’t know what to do anymore.

You do know what to do.

You need to set some boundaries.

If you’re currently working until 6 – 7 every night, then set a small goal that says you won’t work until later than 6 every night next week (or earlier if you can). And stick to it.

The next week you set your goal a bit earlier – 5.45 and then 5.30 until you’re working until 5 normally (or whenever your work day is meant to end). And you can, of course (for special occasions) work a bit later but don’t make it a habit.

You will find that because you have a deadline you will work smarter during the day on your most important items (your frogs).

Action step
1. Set a recurring appointment in Outlook for the next couple of weeks.

2. The appointment should be made for 30 minutes before you want to leave and should say PACK UP DESK AND ORGANISE FOR TOMORROW (or other such words).

If you work from home…

You can use these very same tips if you find that you’re working too much on your business.

The reason you started your business was probably for freedom (90% of my coaching clients tell me this) so create your business around your life and remember family time!

How many hours do you work on your business weekly?

(I work about 28 hours a month – so 7 hours a week)