Power of Less

The pendulum has swung and I'm feeling like I CAN do what I need to do at work.  For now.  I seem to have negotiated a commitment that is stretching but not impossible.  I'm not going to get overconfident about this.  I could suddenly be asked to do more than anyone I know can do.   But, for now, it's OK.

But before I leave this subject, I want to make a plug for a book I read a few months ago:  "The Power of Less" by Leo Babauta.  The author recognizes that we generally are asked to do more than we can do without sacrificing peace of mind.  His recommendations are to negotiate as needed to commit to LESS.  Commit to important things, stretching things, but LESS.  It's similar to the many people who write about switching to a Simpler Life.  But something I prefer about Babauta's book:  many other Simple Living books advocate decisions I'm not ready to make such as giving up any high pressure, professional job.  Babauta's book is less extreme.  Negotiate carefully.  Commit to what you can deliver.  Agree to fewer things.  Fewer sports for the kids, fewer clubs, commitments at work that you can deliver versus commitments that make your customers feel good today but that will make them mad tomorrow when you don't deliver.

I'm much happier when I feel I have a prayer of delivering the commitment.  I don't want to just go through the motions at my job, knowing I won't make it.  And the best thing I've found  I can do is to negotiate, even to the point of upsetting my customers, so that I never promise more than I can deliver.