Do Less. Great Results. Good Summer!
Unofficial summer has begun. Beach weekends. Cookouts. Touring our Nation’s Capital and beyond. Vacations. School’s out. Summer camps. Weddings. Graduations. Preparing for new beginnings.
Yet, have you still got a business or non-profit to run? How are you doing towards your year’s goals, plans, and intentions? Those ideas you had in January…still in action? Not so sexy as unofficial summer, huh? So where are you stuck, and what’s detoured you?
Let’s look at a couple of ways to stay intentional and in action so that September doesn’t find you in the same position…and disappointed or frustrated at yourself.
One way I stay focused is to do less. You know the to-do lists we generate from our ideas, dreams, goals, and intentions? Well, I pare my list down to the essentials so that I’m not trying to take on unreasonable commitments. I want to enjoy the summer months and motorcycle-riding season without guilt so I try not to plan an overburdened schedule.
The second way I stay intentional and in action is the do’s I do plan I challenge myself to stretch a bit. Rather than take on four small-step “to dos” I challenge myself to take one big-step “to do” – a “do” that stretches me and moves me farther along in itself than the four small-step do’s. That way my one do has wider reach and yields greater results and impact on my business than the small steps.
Here’s an example of my “do less” for this summer. I originally planned to:
- Record a couple of audio recordings as free downloads for fall promotions,
- Research book recommendations and read their condensed versions (through an executive book summary service I make available to my clients); and
- Identify an additional networking group and attend their local meetings within the next 3 months.
Instead, my “do less” big-step do is to host a new radio program. That’s a big do and a major commitment for me, yet it will yield greater results for my business. I’ll reach a wider audience than I would in a networking group (world-wide in addition to local), interview authors who will talk about their book topics, and record weekly broadcasts that listeners have access to over and over again. Hosting a radio program requires more skill (learning!) and coordination than creating simple audio downloads. And it requires reaching out to people I only imagined being able to talk to. It requires my committing to be available at an exact time every week which is scary for me who likes to jump at opportunities when they spring up.
So I challenge you to cut down the number of less-significant “do’s” for the next three months. You’ll free yourself to relax a little which will help you focus on your big do. And you’ll find yourself accomplishing more with less wasteful effort.
One more thing… join me live for my weekly eWomen Radio Network program “Idea Success With Sylvia!” every Monday from 1:00pm-2:00pm Eastern Time. You’ll be able to listen to the show at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sylviahenderson and call in to ask questions and comment at (646) 478-4882. You’ll hear from people just like you and me who have successfully implemented all kinds of ideas and how they’ve done so, plus experts in a variety of fields who help people with various aspects of making their ideas reality. I’ll sprinkle some of my own “get things done” expertise throughout the programs, too.
Do less. See your dreams, goals, and plans come true for greater results and a good summer!
Sylvia Henderson
SAVE THIS!
Listen live to “Idea Success With Sylvia!”
Every Monday at 1:00pm Eastern Time
On the eWN Radio Network: www.ewnradionetwork.com/show/idea-success/
Listen Live: BlogTalkRadio.com/sylviahenderson