When it comes to decluttering jobs & obligations, do you ever feel like you’ve got too much on your plate?
Sometimes, we can be so focused on making things more organized, efficient, and productive that we forget to pull the brakes.
Do we really need to do all the jobs we’re doing?
If you’ve been listening to the last few episodes of the podcast, you’ll notice that I’ve talked about shifting mindsets and changing habits a lot lately. Decluttering jobs & obligations is a part of that realm.
We revealed how you can eliminate your to-do list, and what an organized life feels like. We also uncovered the Sunday Basket 3.0, which isn’t a new product, but a new way of tackling your Sunday Basket when you’re a seasoned pro.
Now we’ve reached the fourth episode of this mini four-part series, where I talk about decluttering jobs and obligations. You know, the things that have loomed over our heads for weeks and we really don’t want to do.
You might feel like you don’t have a good enough reason to get rid of them, which is why they’ve stuck around for so long.
But, I’m here to help you kick the guilt monster out and shut the door on some of those jobs that you just don’t care about anymore. So, if you want to finally declutter those jobs and obligations that have gathered dust at the back of your mind, tune into this episode!
Taking A Step Back To Evaluate
When you’re facing a mountain of tasks and obligations, it can be so easy to let yourself get caught up in your plan of action. What job should be assigned to which day? And, what time of the day should you complete it?
But… maybe there are things that you don’t need to do at all. What if most of the tasks you wrote down on index cards can be eliminated?
Give yourself the breathing space to step back and look at your jobs with a fresh (and critical) pair of eyes. Go through everything, one by one, and decide whether to keep it or eliminate it.
Your new challenge is trying to decide what to keep and what to eliminate. But, guess what? There’s a super simple way to help you make the choice and I use it all the time. So, let’s talk about the difference between unique and competent.
Your Unique Vs. Competent Abilities
To help you decide what to eliminate, I want you to think about the things that you are competent at doing and the things that you’d say are your unique ability.
Competent tasks are the things that you’re good at. But, pretty much everyone else in the world is good at those things, too. Most people can do the dishes, keep expired food out of the fridge, and so on.
These are the things you do all the time. But, they’re also things that could easily be outsourced to other people.
Next, think about your unique ability. Maybe you have a unique skill or talent. For me, my unique ability is my organization skills. I understand how to run a professional organizing business. I help other people get organized. I come up with new organizational systems, whether that be The Productive Home Solution or an organization-based Masterclass.
You have a unique ability, too. Things that you are excellent and more uniquely equipped at. You should try and move more towards excellence and out of competence.
Eliminating Tasks From Your Calendar
Whenever I want to do a full cleanout of everything on my schedule, I take my calendar and scrutinize it. And, I want you to do the same.
Look at your calendar and write down everything you did in the last 12 months. Yes, write down everything you did over the last year. It sounds like a lot, but you can break it down into categories like:
I drove my kids to school
I went to work
I did the grocery shopping
I took a vacation to Florida
I hosted the book club (again)
Write down all the things that took up your time and then ask yourself these questions as you go through each of the things on your list…
Q1. If you were asked to do this again today, would you do it?
Q2. Can someone else do it?
Q3. Why don’t you want to do it? And, what will you do with that free time?
This is the fastest and most effective way to eliminate things from your calendar. And, don’t worry about providing someone with a lengthy explanation as to why you don’t want to continue with something just because you feel a deep obligation to do it.
The next time someone asks you to do one of the things you’ve eliminated from your list say NO. No is enough of an answer.
How To Break Away From A Direct Sales Company
I received a question about how to quit direct sales. It was a loaded question, but I could really relate to it because as many of you know, I used to work in direct sales. I loved it at the time. But I reached a point in my life and business where I knew I had to break away from direct sales.
The company was called Creative Memories and after its second bankruptcy, I stopped earning what I needed to support my family. Plus, the product line changed, and I no longer believed in the leadership at the corporate level. There wasn’t anything necessarily wrong with it, it just wasn’t for me anymore.
Even though you work for a direct sales company, it doesn’t mean you’re obligated to stay until you’re old and gray. You’re a unique person with a unique gift and ability. Don’t sell your soul to any company. You don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors.
A company, no matter what size it is, will always put their best interests first. So, you should do the same and put yourself first, too.
I talk about all this in more detail in the podcast, but what I will say is that if you think now is the time to leave your direct sales gig, or any job for that matter, you’re probably right.
Ask yourself if you were asked to re-join the same company all over again, would you say yes?
If not, it’s time to pack your bags and move on.
It’s Okay To Say No
Now that you know what it takes to be successful in decluttering jobs & obligations, It’s time to eliminate jobs and obligations from your calendar that you just don’t want to do anymore. Remember – it’s okay to say NO. No can be a complete sentence if you want and need it to be.
If you decide to eliminate things from your calendar using any of my suggestions, I’d love to know how it went for you and how many things you managed to eliminate?
