How To Stop Sweating The Small Stuff And Get More Done
It’s so easy to allow the little details to get in the way of productivity. We all do it sometimes.
We focus on some minutia instead of the big picture and get bogged down. We like being in control of things and don’t want to appear that we’re not, so we focus on small things because we don’t know what else to do.
Here’s 3 ideas to help you to stop sweating the small stuff.
Put it in perspective
To stop sweating the small stuff so that you can get more done, you’ll want to first put the situation into perspective. This thing you’re worried about, is it really something that you have control over? If you asked your kids to fold and put away the towels, does it really matter if they folded them in a different shape than you would? What will happen if you let them do it their way? How does it serve you to get upset?
Learn from each situation
When something is really affecting you, it’s usually because you need to learn something from it. Look back on projects and note what went right and what could have gone better so that you can do better next time. Is there something you focused too much on and something you should have paid more attention to?
Focus on deliverables
Whenever you feel overwhelmed, it always helps to pay close attention to what the results will be. What is the impact of this project or the desire you have? By looking at what the results and impact are of any situation, you can let go of all the extraneous information that can confuse you.
Start by simply making a list of actions that need to take place based on the deliverables and let go of everything else.
Richard Carlson summed it up in his book.
“Something wonderful begins to happen with the simple realization that life, like an automobile, is driven from the inside out, not the other way around. As you focus more on becoming more peaceful with where you are, rather than focusing on where you would rather be, you begin to find peace right now, in the present. Then, as you move around, try new things, and meet new people, you carry that sense of inner peace with you. It’s absolutely true that “Wherever you go, there you are.”
And some wisdom from the great Marcus Aurelius
“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.”
Ask yourself how you sweat the small stuff in ways that communicate your additional value?
Take care,
David