You swore you would never do it again. But you did it anyway. You said yes to far too many things. Now you find yourself overcommitted. What do you do now?

We’ve all been there. You may be there now. In this episode we’ll look at some strategies for dealing with this common problem.

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As I write this to you, I have been and continue to be in the middle of a very busy season in my life. There is just a lot going on.

Surprisingly, even in this hectic time, I have not felt overwhelmed. I’ve had plenty of time for my family and my own personal development.

In this podcast, I want to share with you eight strategies I’ve used to reduce my commitments, create more margin, and feel like I am in control of my life.

Strategy #1: Accept responsibility.

Strategy #2: Confront my fears.

Strategy #3: Reduce the drama.

Strategy #4: Keep it in perspective.

Strategy #5: Triage my calendar.

Strategy #6: Do the next most important task.

Strategy #7: Get sufficient rest.

Strategy #8: Decide to change.

I really believe these strategies can make a difference in your life. Adopting them doesn’t mean you won’t get overcommitted from time to time (I still do), but you will better understand the dynamics and what to do about it when it happens.

Listener Questions

Adam Rico asked, “How can you manage the stress of your commitments without damaging your own well-being?”

Caleb Suko asked, “How do you deal with overcommitment when you are in a corporate culture that values busyness as a sign of success?”

Eddie Cliff asked, “If I decide to quit an organization because I’m overwhelmed, how can I ensure the best possible outcome for them?”

Jason J. Nicholas asked, “Should I step away from a major commitment in order to free up resources to apply elsewhere?”

K.C. Procter asked, “How do you endure a season where are really having to hustle without getting burned out?”

Mike Burns asked, “What percentage of your day do you actually plan vs. how much time you leave open for unplanned activities?”

Mike Kim asked, “How do you accomplish all the things you love without getting overcommitted?”

Peg Doyle asked, “How do you get the long-range, important stuff done when you feel so overwhelmed with the day-to-day activities?”

Tor Constantino asked, “What do you do when you overcommit by double-booking your time?”

Special Announcements

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