Not Enough Time? How to Handle It or Hand It Off

The most successful individuals (athletes, CEOs, and celebrities) surround themselves with an entourage and a gaggle of assistants. But well before they hit the big time, I guarantee they used this essential secret to getting more done in less time: take action as often as possible and, more importantly, hand off whatever else you can't, won't, or don't want to do yourself. How about you? If you're serious about saving time, you need to build a top notch support team. This is not optional. Have you surrounded yourself with a team of people who complement your strengths? Have you created phenomenal relationships with folks who anticipate your needs and take care of them for you? If the answer is "no," consider whether you have ever thought or uttered any of the following statements: ==> I can get it done faster if I just do it myself. ==> I don't need help from anyone. ==> If I want it done right, I've got to do it myself. ==> Asking for help is selfish. ==> I don't deserve help. ==> It's my job to take care of everyone else. ==> I don't want to impose on anyone. The first 3 statements are symptoms of the "Lone Ranger" mentality. You can't imagine giving up control of your environment because you don't have faith in the ability of those around you. Or you might feel that surrendering complete control equals irresponsibility, vulnerability, or weakness. Your friends simply call you a "control freak." If the latter 4 statements strike a nerve with you, it's time to examine why you feel you don't deserve help from others. You might feel like you're not good enough. Or you might have set yourself up as a martyr, determined to take on the burden so that others will see you as a saint. If any of this rings true for you...STOP. It doesn't have to be this way. First of all, you need to decide whether or not you want to continue living like this. As in previous messages, consider the possible payoff from your current behavior. *** The feeling of being in "control." (An illusion at best.) *** The feeling of superiority. *** Getting others to feel sorry for you. Although clearing out the assumptions in your head and creating supportive relationships will take an investment of both time and effort, you'll reap far greater rewards down the line. Get help to banish the bad habits, and then consider the following types of synergistic relationships: <*> Collaboration with a peer <*> Bartering with someone from a different profession <*> Teamwork with friends, peers, or family members <*> Delegation to peers or family members <*> Employment of professionals: house cleaners, baby sitters, virtual assistants If you resist getting involved in relationships because you fear people will let you down, understand that the first key to making it work is getting the right people on board. The second key is CLEAR COMMUNICATION. Listen before you talk and always repeat back what you heard, "I want to make sure I'm getting it right. I heard you say..." Ask for confirmation or correction. Ask them to repeat the details back to you: "I want to make sure I'm communicating clearly. Can you explain your understanding of what I just said?" Again, this secret is NOT OPTIONAL. If you are serious about finding the time to live life on your own terms, you need to figure out a way to make this work. For a step-by-step action plan, keep reading. ============== ACT NOW: Finding Tonto Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto and Silver to help him out. Create your own team by following these 7 steps: 1) Identify whether you subscribe to either the Lone Ranger or martyr mentality as described above. 2) Get help to eliminate them by working with a coach, mentor, or therapist. 3) Write a list of possible ways you can take advantage of each of the following: collaboration, bartering, teamwork, delegation, employment. 4) Start working with the people you already know and then consider forming new relationships. 5) Looking at your list of tasks for this week, asterisk those that you absolutely, positively need to do yourself. 6) With any remaining tasks, consider how you can either eliminate them, hand them off, or hire them out. 7) Take action ASAP. *Excerpted from the brand new Mini-Course "Stop Wasting Time!"