Back to the Basics

Some days, weeks, months seem to be busier than others. For instance, if you add to an already full schedule a major project at work or an number of additional acts in your relationship ring, your life can seem overwhelming. It is at times like these that you need to be reminded of the importance of the basics of time management. Consider a few key strategies to help you through the busy season:

• You can't "juggle elephants". You have to pick and choose. Prioritize those "acts" that are most important and make sure that they get done first. Let the less important things slide or not get done


• Remove distractions so that you can focus. It might take turning off the phone and closing the door to your office to allow you the time you need to accomplish your tasks


• Write things down. When your schedule is full and maybe your brain is too, it is easy to forget commitments, new ideas or to pick up a gallon of milk on your way home. Write things down and refer to the list often so things don't fall through the cracks


• Have a plan. Consider this thought by Victor Hugo, "Where no plan is laid, where the disposal of time is surrendered merely to the chance of incident, chaos will soon reign." When you are overwhelmed, the last thing you need is more chaos. Take 15 minutes each day to plan what your are going to get done and then execute on that plan.

Managing your time is always a good idea. But when your managing a busier than normal "3 ring circus" it becomes a critical survival skill.

The Tent Flap Holder

Because Juggling Elephants is a parable about the circus, we sometimes get people who see things differently. After speaking on the concept for almost 6 years, we are frequently surprised by how people bring new insights and applications to a training program.

A couple of weeks ago while working on the section entitled, "Be The Ringmaster" one participant pointed out that they didn't see themselves as the Ringmaster. Instead they saw themselves as the person who holds the tent flap open and is yelling for the acts to get in line and be ready. While it provided a good chuckle, it also brought a new perspective to what we need to do to insure the right tasks get into our schedule.

In honor of this new thought, here are some things to keep in mind if you feel more like the "tent flap holder" instead of a ringmaster:

• You can only hold the tent flap open for a period of time-and then you need a break (an intermission no less).
• Sometimes you need help holding the flaps open wide enough so the act can get into the circus (teamwork and delegation)
• If there are too many acts waiting to enter the rings, you may need to close the tent flaps to keep down the noise level and to not distract from the acts that are performing.
• Occasionally, you may have to "go get" an act that forgot to make it's way to the tent. In those instances you need to have someone else that can take your place while you are gone (cross training and succession planning).

What new analogy do you have about how the circus or its performers relate to our workplace performance or personal success? Comment on this blog or send your thoughts to info@jugglingelephants.com.

What's the Program?

If you are leading a company, a team, a family or your life - a major part of your job needs to be determining what the program is going to be and what "Act" will be coming up next. Sometimes we get so caught up in performing or the performance that we forget that we are also the "Ringmaster" who needs to determine the overall program. Too often, we find ourselves running around, listening to who is "squeaking" the loudest and being reactive.

Set the agenda, get your team on board with the program and clear the path for execution. If you are not doing this, you might need to ask yourself "who" or "what" is determining the acts of your circus.

Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

One of my all-time favorite books is Judith Viorst's book, "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day." It is a children's book but it has a wonderful message for adults as well. Alexander is a young man who very simply put, has a bad day. He has gum in his hair when he wakes up, he trips on his skateboard, he has a run in with his brothers, a dessertless lunch and a cavity at the dentist. As his day continues, he faces challenge after challenge. Because of his challenges, he resolves several times throughout the book to escape by moving to Australia.

Do you ever have days like that? Days where everything seems to go wrong and you just want to curl up in a ball, take a nap or run away to Australia? Life can be discouraging at times. You have challenges that can ruin your day, week, month or even your year. I often find comfort in the quote by Mary Anne Radmacher who said, Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.'

Don't give up. Push through it. Try again tomorrow! As Alexander's Mom wisely states at the end of the book, "Some days are like that. Even in Australia."

The Juggler In Chief

Most of us could never begin to imagine the pressures of being the leader of the premier global power. It's mind boggling. An article at CNN.com entitled Obama as Juggler-Multitasking mold shapes today's Presidency highlights the frenetic pace faced by today's President.

But the source of the President's need to multitask bears a striking resemblance to our own situations. Alan Silverleib, author of the article, writes:

But in recent years, he said, the daily pace has accelerated due to the rise of the internet, wireless, and other facets of the communications revolution.

There's a "kind of blinding rapidity" in which one event quickly overtakes the next, said Dalleck. Our attention -- and that of the president -- is whipped from the latest economic crisis to the newest tornado wreckage to the latest protest or outbreak of violence in the Middle East.

Faced with a pressure for constant response, modern administrations face times "of great pressure and intense demand over a series of compelling issues," he said.

The solution highlighted for Presidents, which would also serve us well was given by Wendy Schiller, a political scientist who said, The key challenge for presidents in the 21st century is knowing when to respond immediately and knowing when to take their time to manage a given situation.

Wise words for all of us-regardless of our situation.