December 17, 2011 – DAY 17 | Keeping it Simple: Sometimes I come across individuals that take simple matters and make them far more complex than they need to be. Many times this over-achievement is rooted in their personality of perfection. It is sadly humorous at times to watch them struggle with taking a molehill and turning it into a mountain.
Once I was engaged in a conversation with someone who wanted to plan a party. The party was supposed to be a simple meet and greet with punch, snacks and finger sandwiches. During the planning of this party the individual started fretting over the music, the food, the décor, the engraved invites, and so on. What ended up happening was this person wasted several hours planning a very simple party. Not only that, the person would have physically been unable to do everything they had planned for this event.
Keeping it simple means you have to admit you might not be able to do it all. It will also require you to push back on the feelings of need to go grandiose. You will just need to give yourself permission to do less than your nature desires. The flip side to the keep it simple is that you don’t do enough of what is required. If you need more information on this, visit my previous blogs on tolerating and procrastination.
In an effort to keep things simple today, I would like you to start thinking about the things you are doing. If you feel the slightest bit stressed about getting it all done… ask yourself is there an easier way to do this? Am I really keeping it simple? You might be surprised at how many things you do are taken over the top. You might find a lot of wasted time and emotionally energy spent on stress and running around. You might actually start to take your life back from the need to perfect the matter at hand. It is ok to step back and slow down sometimes. Our bodies were not designed for 100 MPH 24/7 (see my blog on rest). Find the simple joys in life… stop and smell the roses (or in the case of the holidays, the pine trees). Enjoy life a little bit – don’t be so serious. If I remember correctly, all work and no play makes for a dull person.
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Philip A Foster, MA is Founder/CEO of Maximum Change Inc. Elevating leaders and their organizations to the next level since 2005. Master Certified Coach, Philip A Foster, MA and his associates facilitate effective positive change by helping organizations, leaders and individuals in high demand — design and implement strategies that maximize focus and deliver results. Specializing in Organization and Strategic Leadership.