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11/20/2018

Stop Over-committing And Stretching Yourself Too Thin

It’s easy to commit to more than we can handle

How often do you over-commit and stretch yourself too thin?

Beware of over-committing. It’s easy to commit to more than we can handle. We want to be helpful. We fail to forecast unforeseen events. We overestimate our capabilities. We want to look like we’re on top of everything. The danger is when the bill comes due and we owe all that work we promised to deliver. To balance out this risk of over-committing, keep an active list of projects and always check it before accepting new work. Place calendar holds on your schedule to block time for new commitments. If it doesn’t fit on your list or calendar, you should probably pass on it or negotiate a more favorable deadline. You’re the only one who can protect your time. Beware of saying “yes” to too much because you might never get it done.

Mike Figliuolo is managing director of thoughtLEADERS. Before launching his own company, he worked at McKinsey & Co., Capital One and Scotts Miracle-Gro. He is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He's the author of three leadership books: "One Piece of Paper," "Lead Inside the Box" and "The Elegant Pitch."

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