21 Jun Delegating AH-HA Moment
Control freaks must like to run together as a herd, because lately one topic keeps cropping up in conversations with friends; letting go. Forget about the massive, huge things that one can let go of, today just thinking about starting with the little ones! I have amazing women in my life, all of whom are successful in so many ways. We are great multi-taskers, organizers, thoughtful friends, hardworking employees, amazing lunch box packers, laundry folding experts, gardeners, birthday party planners, list making pros, grocery store in and out wizards, and errand running queens. I even will admit it feels good to get things done. We are GOOD at what we do; this is why I believe it is so HARD to give it away. Why bother when I know that most of the time I can just do it quicker and probably the RIGHT way. But there is a cost, too. However we got here, there will be times, physically or mentally, where we just can’t do it all.
I haven’t talk about it on the blog before, but at this point in my life I think it’s safe to say I have a DAY JOB and a DREAM JOB. Both going at the same time right now, but hoping it won’t be like this forever. Most days I can keep all the balls in the air, but on a particular day last week I got home and opened the DREAM JOB email account…
The panic set in. If I could print time like money in my basement I would. Am so happy anyone emails me at all, but it is hard to focus on the positive when you are overwhelmed. That’s when I got some ridiculously timely advice to LET IT GO. I had two tasks to pick from, answering emails or prep all the print jobs for that week’s orders. I decided to give away the prepping to someone fully capable. I knew this was coming, and had imagined a quiet afternoon, where I could explain the task step by step (with screenshots of course) but that didn’t happen. I literally THREW the job at her and hoped for the best. The result? It came back to me in the morning exquisitely done.
Here’s when I had the Ah-Ha about letting it go. It is not like I am tossing my task out to a random man on the street who is clueless. This person was completely qualified to help. I just had to LET her. There ARE qualified people in our lives willing to help; from coworkers, to spouses, to friends, to parents. They just need us to let go. It might not be perfectly done the way you want, but it also might be?? So I am going to start practicing …baby steps. What can you let go of this weekend? And more importantly what can we fill that little crack of time with? Cheers to a sweet and sane weekend!
