Have you ever had that time when you said “yes”, because it sounded interesting? Perhaps bookmarked an article on your feed reader or in a magazine/journal/newspaper? Or signed up to something thinking you’ll be able to do it?

It’s easily done and for a while it works. But what happens when you overload. Your Netflix list is so full, series disappear in the process of you getting to them or halfway through? Or projects pass you buy since you were suddenly called to something else?

It’s easy to let it get out of hand, but always keep in mind of things you are “committed” to so as not to disappoint others. It’s a lesson I’ve learned and in some cases frequently relearn in different contexts (I don’t want to know how many projects I’ve left behind, moved on from or sadly failed to grow to fruition), but it is possible to fight back when things are planned correctly.

If it’s something like a project you’re working on, see if you can break it up into small sections, or perhaps dedicate some protected time into your week to ensure it happens. Always be prepared for when things take over though, such as a life change like starting a family, taking on a new job or taking a big step in life, because once again, it’s really easy to stray off the path too and often have many things to come back to – with the hope you’ll still be able to accomplish it all!

At worst, taking a break can also sometimes help, and particularly prevent any sort of burnout and stress. Just remember to look after you – after all it’s your life to live and you should be able to make the choice you wish (and to seek help if anyone prevents you from doing this in the first place). Just be aware of what you may choose take on, since nothing in life just disappears and with other things often preventing you from making the other choices for a given time, it’s worth working out the right order for you.

Take care this week and I hope your choices help you take the right steps forward.

Mike