If you’ve been reading my blogs for awhile you might have picked up on the fact that I am a pretty classic Type A personality. I’m always busy, constantly checking off my to-do list. When I want things done, I want them done yesterday. I am constantly trying to race time.

Now on the positive side I do get a lot done. I’m efficient, detailed, and focused when I work. The negative side to this is that there are only 24 hours in the day and there is only so much I can realistically do. And I am constantly pushing that time boundary. I take on projects by myself that are too big for one person to handle. I don’t tend to budget in enough time for what it will take to complete a task. The result is that I overextend myself and get burnt out. Happens every time.

Right now I am getting a new office set up with all new state of the art equipment, plus all new health services and programs. Needless to say the to-do list is a mile long. Setting up protocols, buying furniture, re-doing the website, and all the never ending paper work. It’s exciting and overwhelming all at the same time. This is a huge task, and I just want it done. I want the place furnished, I want the documents and protocols to be in place, and I want the new website up. Now I know that these things can’t happen over night, but I feel like I can’t relax or have downtime until they are done. Obviously if I continue on this path with this mentality I’m going to crash and burn.

I’ve been down this road many times before so I am doing my best to try a new approach. Instead of constantly pushing for the end result, what if I could enjoy the process? What if I could have fun during these initial stages of getting everything set up? Maybe then I could have a little more balance in my life. Knowing that everything will get done eventually, and I don’t have to spend every waking moment working on the office.

If you are a goal oriented person it is easy to get so fixed on that end result that we don’t enjoy the little steps along the way. It could take years to reach that goal, but you can’t put your life on hold for years. You can’t stop having fun and enjoying a social life. There needs to be a better way to still push forward and reach for our goals, but to also enjoy the process and be ok with where we are at in the present.

On a practical note something I started doing was breaking my big goals into much smaller goals. Instead of getting the whole website done, my goal is get the copy done for my bio. Instead of buying and installing the whole kitchen for my office, I’ll make my goal this week to order the fridge. These bite sized goals are manageable. And I still feel like I accomplished something big by completing them. Every time I finish one of these smaller goals I let myself celebrate. Maybe by going out to dinner, buying a pair of shoes, or just giving myself the night off.

I still have a lot to accomplish, but I am over driving myself crazy trying to get it all done in an insane amount of time. I am determined not to live in a state of overwhelm anymore. Everything will get done in good time, and in the meanwhile I am going to enjoy the process.

Are there any major projects that you are facing? Do you tend to get overwhelmed and overloaded? This week evaluate how you work. Are you actually enjoying the process or are you just trying to check off your to-do list? See if you can make a shift this week when it comes to whatever project you are facing. Break things down into smaller goals, enjoy the process, and don’t forget to celebrate!