Don't become a busy or burnt out fool

How effective are you in how you choose to spend your time? Everyone we meet now is very busy, it is rare that you meet someone who isn't, some people are always frantically running from one thing to another or burning the candle at both ends working on various things or meeting the demands of others.

Periodically it is good to take time out and evaluate whether you are spending time on the right things, especially if you are starting to feel frazzled and unhealthy on a regular basis.

So, what are the right things? Anything or anyone that is important to you is the ideal answer. If the activity you are currently working on is an important part of your job, if it is aligned to a key goal you have set yourself or if it involves spending time with someone who inspires, encourages you and makes you feel good then that is probably time well spent. Obviously, in all our lives we have necessary tasks to do that aren't that exciting e.g. Paying bills, sorting out household chores, general life admin etc. and with these types of things, it is best to set aside blocks of time and rattle through as quick as possible with minimum interruption. In a funny way if I take this approach there is a sense of satisfaction when I can tick these mundane things off my list and move into more enjoyable activities.

The dangerous trap you need to avoid is the busy fool one…. This is where we are busy however we are spending time on non-value added, unnecessary and unenjoyable experiences. If you look back in how you spent your day, week or weekend and you are thinking that the time spent ticked any of these boxes then maybe changes need to be made. For any activity where you feel that way you can decide to either a) not do it again b) find a way of doing it more effectively so spending less time it or c) get someone else to do it.

The other way you find yourself in the busy fool territory is when you are spending too long on something that doesn't warrant it either because you are a perfectionist and the task doesn't need that level of perfectionism or you are spending too long on one task as an avoidance strategy or procrastinating to prevent the more important task you should be doing but don't want to do.

So, look back at last week’s diary did you spend time on the right things and with the right people? If not, what changes can you make to your schedule next week and in the future to prevent this happening again? Oh, and leave some space for downtime and recharge… scheduling time for this is important for your wellbeing so that you don't become a burnt-out fool.

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author. All articles published on Life Coach Directory are reviewed by our editorial team.

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Bristol, Gloucestershire, BS16 7FR
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Written by Sandra Webber
ICF - ACC Qualified Coach
location_on Bristol, Gloucestershire, BS16 7FR
Sandra is an qualified coach and author who works with both businesses and private clients. With over 20 years of experience she is also co-director of The Kudos Group a Training and Development company who focus on Executive Coaching/Mentoring/Leade...
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