Meeting Your Competing Commitments With Grace and Ease

Meeting your competing commitments with grace and ease, can occur impossible. Ask anyone how they are doing. What is the typical answer?

I’m so busy. Followed by I got a lot going on.

We all have full lives that can, at times, collide:

⋙ Leading Your Business or Career
⋙ Managing Your To Do List
⋙ Attending Family Events
⋙ Working Out Consistently

So, how do you meet competing commitments without losing your mind?

Systems thinking. Systems thinking is a holistic approach that focuses on the way parts interrelate within the context of larger systems. When using systems thinking, you consider how each area of life interrelates.

One of my clients couldn’t seem to get traction on both her business goals and personal goals. She was naturally wired to perform functions in sequence. She would work on one thing, get it done, and move on to the next.

She saw each commitment as a separate entity. Yet, she was not meeting the very things she was committed to and put her personal goals second.

Using systems thinking, we explored options by looking at how seemingly separate commitments could be integrated. How could she get her self-care routine accomplished, be on time for that morning appointment, and forward what she was up to in her business?

There were a number of options we discussed including asking for assistance, bringing her walking shoes to work to walk during her lunch, exercising for 10 minutes, and delegating to her team.

Systems thinking expands the range of options to accomplish goals. Can you see how integrating small steps can have you take giant leaps in multiple areas having it all work?

When you have multiple commitments, you may first want to ask if you’re really committed or just interested in that goal. When you are merely interested, you will do what’s convenient. When you’re committed, you’ll do whatever it takes.

Then ask:

➥ Where in your business or life could you integrate competing commitments and have it all work?
➥ Where could you ask for assistance or delegate?
➥ Where could you calendarize or cluster appointments so you’re on time or highly efficient with your time?

Then, take action consistent with your commitment not the circumstance.