MAMMOTH TASK
Do you have too much on your plate at the moment?
Are you facing a huge task or a daunting challenge or a crushing, unavoidable workload - something so demanding that you don’t know where to begin? Perhaps your starting a new job or setting up a business, moving house or emigrating. Life-changers aside, even ordinary days present intimidating situations.
Dr. Rod Kuhn King, a business consultant in California, once said that “You can eat an elephant if you cut it up into small pieces,” This is a useful reminder that mammoth tasks can be broken down into bite-size chunks. The thought of doing something is often worse than actually doing it, so the quicker you get your head around it the faster you’ll make a start.
1) Break the task down into manageable, workable pieces and
2) then prioritize those pieces.
3) Start with what needs to be done first and, as you deal with each part, stay present moment oriented without dwelling on what is still to be done. If there are no time constraints, pace yourself.
4) Finally, while you’re putting your back into it, put some fun into it - an injection of humor makes problems palatable.
Chew it over.
Thomas Chalmers is an executive coach based in Scotland. Thomas works with executives, politicians, and entrepreneurs. Michael Imani, Ph.D. is an Atlanta-based coach who works with clients on weight and life issues.