As an entrepreneur, you know firsthand how an unexpected personal issue, family emergency, or business challenge can throw your schedule off track.
You’re painfully aware you need to address the glaring issue at hand.
You can’t ignore it or push it forward to another date.
But you may also find yourself wondering how to stop overthinking upcoming tasks in your busy week.
After all, you’ve got a business to run.
Here are five practical tips to help you stop overthinking things in your schedule when the going gets tough.
Acknowledge this moment in time
It’s no secret that schedules fall off track now and then. Like most things, it’s just a fact of life.
Unforeseen personal circumstances arise, people cancel last-minute, and environmental emergencies crop up overnight.
Take a moment to fully acknowledge this temporary situation. This doesn’t mean you should judge or feel sorry for yourself. It’s simply to bring out into the open what you’re experiencing at the moment.
Understand this is just a moment in time that you’re going through.
Things will change, but you must acknowledge and accept where you are right now before you can move forward.
Capture your thoughts on paper
Give your mind a rest from all those swirling tasks, thoughts, and ideas.
Take a moment to physically write down what’s on your mind on a sheet of paper or in a notebook. There’s no need for formalities or prose. Simply jot down items in a few bullet points.
For starters, this approach allows you to capture information in a convenient container that’s not your mind’s eye.
It also allows you to visualize these items outside of yourself and gain some literal distance from tasks.
Similarly, once you have your thoughts on paper, you can begin to organize items into categories. Consider grouping items into thoughts, ideas, tasks you can complete, tasks others can complete, and research.
Plan the next three days
Being behind schedule is never enjoyable. But, you can change your approach when it comes to what you focus on in your schedule.
Now’s not the time to plan every single task in your business. Try this simple approach instead: Identify three tasks that must be completed today, tomorrow, and the day after that.
Turning your focus to these three areas will allow you to stay focused and in the moment. What’s more, segmenting tasks across the next three days will free up your mental energy so you can sufficiently attend to today’s challenges.
Start right now and plan the next three days. Tomorrow morning, do the same thing: Plan out the next three days. Repeat the following day as necessary.
Delegate tasks as needed
Now’s the time to turn your attention to what only you can accomplish in your business and personal life.
And the only way you can do that is to delegate tasks to others. You can’t do it all alone, nor should you attempt to do so.
Could you ask someone to reschedule meetings for the next few days on your behalf? Could you temporarily reassign a project to someone else? Could you ask someone to attend a meeting, review information, or proof a sample?
Stay on top of delegated tasks by making a quick note in your schedule to check in with others later in the day, or the next day at the latest.
Postpone items as necessary
You need every bit of mental energy and focus available to you at this challenging time. Consider temporarily placing non-urgent and non-important tasks on hold where possible in your business. Which tasks can be pushed back a few days or weeks with minimal effort?
As a reminder, you are not abandoning these items in your business. You are simply not addressing these items right now, at this very moment. You’ll review them and get to them at a future date.
Make a note or reminder for yourself in your calendar or to-do list to check in on these items when things have quieted down.
Learn how to manage your time at work
Time management is an important skill that everyone should learn and practice if they want to be successful at work.
My time management guide can help you learn how to prioritize tasks, manage time in meetings, and arrive on time to appointments.
If you want me to help you manage your time at work and at home so you get things done and feel in control, then check out my time management coaching services.
How about you? Which of these five steps will you focus on? Join the conversation and leave a comment below!
This article previously appeared on Inc.com.
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