Somewhere along the way I decided that “getting it out there” or “publishing” these posts trumped proper punctuation and grammar. Don’t get me wrong. Sometimes mistakes happen and they get through.  Most of the time it’ because of that dreaded technological nemesis, autocorrect, but most times it’s because I’m impatient. I can’t wait to spread my vast insight out into the lands. Sometimes I am going back and editing posts on two different platforms after I’ve published it. Letting a “there” or “their” sneak through due to autocorrect is one thing, allowing a slew of issues to get through because I was too impatient is another.  So I’m slowing down and doing it right.  Wait. That’s a great topic. Slowing down. Doing it right. 

Either through over commitment, poor organization, poor delegation or just bad work practices, my life mostly feels like a catch up rush. A constant spinning of plates marked by a willingness to just let a couple break lest my brain explode. What can I say? I’m working on it and everything has a time price. Really it’s less all of the first four things than a simple willingness to slow down and plan so I can then do things right. 

I read somewhere once that you should dedicate 4x’s the amount of time planning to do an act than actually doing it. While this may be steep, the notion is correct. I’m always better when I plan. I’m just not always better at planning to plan to have a plan to plan. Clear as mud. 

Our race team is led by one of my best friends and business partners, Jonathan “Juba” Dziuba, who is a meticulous planner. When he came on board with the Louisiana Marathon many years ago, I realized quickly how differently we went about things and how, on race day, the level of “hair on fire” was diminished exponentially.  I’d say we are yin and yang but really it’s more me being a constant “get it done under pressure” (ie: at the last minute without communicating I need help but not using available assets) while he executes the plan he spent hours working on. We all have benefitted from his diligence as our teams kill it on race day. Yin/yang implies balance, I’m more a thorn in his side. 

Working around him helps me in some ways but in others, shows how very differently people go about work as well as casts doubt/makes me feel like I’m doing it wrong. I won’t glorify my way and I know with a ton of discipline, I can get better at the front end planning, it’s just not how my brain works. I vow to do it and when I sit down and look a pad of paper or a computer screen, my mind goes blank and or starts going 100 different other directions from where I wanted to start and eventually I’m just doing the “things” as they enter my brain, regardless if that’s what I should be doing. I did make a list of things to do today for the first time in a month, so, baby steps, right?

The nature of work is different for everyone, but if planning and slowing down makes me better, then it will work for every single person out there.  You just have to pull your head out of your ass for a moment and realize it.  Yes you have deadlines to meet and things need to get done, but if everything is an emergency, nothing is.  Stop. Slow down. Prioritize. Plan. 

As you head out today for your biweekly battle with Ted from accounting, take 5-10 minutes and think of one way you can attack the day with purpose. Maybe you get 30 mins of planning in before your hair catches fire and shit goes sideways, maybe you make it until lunch.   Who knows?  I just know the act of doing so will bring you more calm. Doing it right always does. Lord knows we all need more of that.  

I just realized I have to go back and read this for mistakes...stupid “doing it it right” and baby steps. 

#hugsanhi5s