Finding An Acceptable Level of Behind - Lead Star
Written by Sue Gannon

Ever feel like you just can’t get caught up? There are always too many things to do and never enough time to do it all. As a result, you get stressed, often ruminating on the unchecked boxes on the neverending to-do list.

I know this feeling well. I pour myself into my commitments – both at work and at home. There is always something I need to be doing and never enough time to do it.

Several years ago, my sister helped me change my perspective on stress as I vented to her about the seemingly endless to-do list in front of me. No matter how hard I tried, I never seemed to get ahead, and the list only got longer. Her advice – find an acceptable level of behind. 

This caught me by surprise; how could there be an acceptable level of behind? It was only after pausing to reflect and contemplate her words more fully that I accepted the wisdom therein. Since that day, I’ve practiced being more accepting.

Here’s what I’ve learned in the process:

Catching up is an illusion. Here’s the harsh reality: I will never catch up. While unsettling, I will always be pulled in more directions than I can support. Once I accepted that the to-do list never becomes the all-done list, I stopped chasing an unobtainable reality.

Learning to prioritize is a must. Accepting I will never get it all done means I must determine the most important things to do. There are tons of productivity tools out there to help you filter your tasks, but honestly, don’t overthink it. I take my to-do list and put each item into one of three categories: 1- I need to do; 2- Someone else needs to or can do; 3- Nice but not necessary to do. Learning to prioritize is critical, especially when your plate is too full.

Making deliberate choices is what keeps you moving. Prioritizing my to-do list allows me to make deliberate choices about where I will and will not spend my time. That means adding important items to my calendar and holding myself accountable to completing them. By making deliberate choices, I am exerting ownership of the things I choose to fill up my time.

Pressure and stress can be paralyzing, freezing us in place under the mountain of to-do’s in front of us. Accepting some level of behind can ease the pressure a bit, allowing you to prioritize and make deliberate choices about how best to lead.

Founded in 2004, Lead Star is the company behind New York Times best-sellers SPARKLeading from the Front, and Bet on You. Lead Star supports professionals to reach new levels of success through an innovative coaching program, Year to Rise.