The 'To Ignore' List
It's no mean feat getting a work/life balance. Be mindful of the small decisions you make about your use of time. Things like working a bit later to 'just finish that email' or skipping your morning walk because 'it's a busy day' can add up over time and result in burnout.
You could also be taking too much on. If this is the case, instead of writing a "To-do list" try writing a "To ignore list".
Exercise
- Scan through your to-do list, and for each item ask "Can I ignore this...
...all together?" - If so, remove it from your list.
...if someone else does it?" - If so, start delegating by asking that person.⠀
...for an amount of time?" - If so, note down a time or set a reminder for when you need to pick it up again.
...if I got it rolling?" - This means to do the first, quickest thing that gets it off your plate for now, like sending an email asking someone a useful question. - Now select the top 3 most important tasks.
- Focus on these top 3 and ignore the rest for today.
A large part of getting a healthy balance is becoming comfortable with these trade-offs. What you decide to give your time to and what you don't.
Adam Ellison
The founder and course mentor at The Monday Morning Club