In the past week I hurt my back and spent two days on the floor because it was the only place I was comfortable. Needless to say, not much work got done.
However, it was enlightening. As I cancelled everything that could be cancelled, a clarity descended. Was each task on my to-do list worthwhile or superfluous? Or, as I often ask my coaching clients who are grappling with a decision: how would you argue for a particular course of action in a court of law?
I did only the things that absolutely needed to be done. I apologized to a couple of clients when it was clear that a deadline was going to be impacted. I kicked myself in both cases that I hadn’t delegated the seemingly simple tasks — both of which could have been done by a team member.
Also in the past week, the Northeast was socked with a snowstorm. Another set of decisions. What did I (really) need from the grocery store (not to mention the liquor store LOL). But, really. Reality check: I doubt that I would be in peril if unable to leave my home for 6 weeks. My freezer and pantry are full.
Injury and snowstorm made my world smaller this week. Back-to-back. No pun intended. Ow! And I learned quite a bit.
Einstein said, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.”
That Einstein — he was a smart one, eh?
P.S. See a couple of funny tweets related to storm Keenan (below).
(FYI Market Basket is a grocery store)
Painting is: Watson and the Shark by, John Singleton Copley on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
This blog is originally published in Marilee's newsletter.
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