A client recently confided to me how she’s feeling: “I've been kicked out of the driver's seat, and now I'm being dragged behind the car. That is my life.” I understand that feeling. But I can also tell you that you can get back in the driver’s seat. You just need some support.
How do you get back in the driver’s seat?
Can you relate to that feeling of overwhelm? The frustration that builds up from an overpacked, overworked schedule filled with kids, spouse, and work demands. Does that sound like your schedule?
All of our lives we’ve been praised for doing. We’ve been conditioned to believe that the more things we do and the more accomplishments we get, the better person we are. But in trying to hit that expectation, you might be running yourself into the ground. If things would just slow down, maybe you’d be able to catch up and get back in the driver’s seat. But life doesn’t slow down, it speeds up! That’s why you feel like you’re being dragged along, out of control.
You are in charge
The good news is, you are in charge. I’m not saying that to be condescending or trite. You can climb back into the driver’s seat and take back control. But you have to be willing to approach things differently. You have to determine what you actually want. And you have to look at your to-do list, and stop trying to make it through the entire list by yourself.
I know exactly what goes through your mind when you hear “Just delegate more.”
- “It’s faster if I just do it myself.”
- “I’ll do it better than someone else will.”
- “There’s nobody else who can do it.”
Why is delegating so hard?
Delegating is hard because it requires you to value your time. I know there are things on your to-do list that you can do 4 times faster than someone else. Because you’ve done those things a million times and you know the shortcuts. But when you value your time the way you should, you start to see that it’s worth letting someone else spend an hour on a job that would take you 15 minutes. Because 15 minutes of your time is valuable.
Delegation is also hard because it requires
trust. It requires trusting that people will get their tasks done and do them well. It can be stressful to outsource tasks that will reflect on your business or your family or you personally. But you can start small and build trust with people over time. And you can do your due diligence and outsource to people who are great at what they do.
Finally, delegation is hard because it requires you to
let go of the control. As a recovering control freak myself, I know exactly how it feels to not just want to get things done, but to get them done my way. It’s hard to let go of that, but once you do, you free yourself to focus on the things that you really want.
Start delegating and get back in the driver’s seat!
It takes time, practice, and the desire to let go of guilt, but delegating, outsourcing, and automating are going to save you from burnout. Determine what things on your list serve you and serve your family. Then start delegating, getting support, and saying no. That tactic is what will put you in the driver’s seat! I know you want to make long-lasting healthy changes to your life. And I know that you want to start making those changes right now. This is how those changes start!
I helped that client get back into the driver's seat of her life and now she feels powerful and proud because she's able to focus on what matters the most to her! I would love to help you do that too. If you feel like you are being dragged along, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, I am here to help you put on the brakes and get back in the driver’s seat!
