I’m NOT going to tell you some cute philosophy (with no real action) about only doing the "essentials" in your life.
I AM going to tell you a quick story about busyness nearly killing me.
In 2013, I went to my doctor with all kinds of physical problems: migraine headaches, heart palpitations, chronic forgetfulness, and extreme exhaustion.
I told my doctor these problems, and he asked me to describe my life. I said, "I have a really good life. It's just really busy." He asked me to explain what I meant by "busy." So I told him:
- I worked 50-60 hours every week
- I spent 10-20 hours every week on my doctorate
- I traveled 60 days per year with work and school
- I had 3 young kids at home
- I was building a leadership program for our church
My doctor listened and then said the words that changed my life. "I am concerned for your life. You're experiencing stress because you're so busy. And if you don't kill busyness, it will kill you."
Since I was working on my doctorate in leadership, I decided to research the effects of overcommitment on organizations.
I discovered that busyness wasn't just killing me. It's killing you, too. And it's doing so much more damage than you can imagine.
That's when I made a decision that changed my life...