Good Leaders: Overcommitted? Where is the goodness in this?

I’m writing this blog Monday morning somewhere over Nebraska, on the 7AM Delta commuter flight in route to LA. In the haze of an overcommitment scheduling hangover, the words are not flowing smoothly. Here’s the irony: I’m tired, and also really, really happy. Here’s why:

Holy smokes, it’s happens every year. As we turn the calendar from August to September, everything in my life switches to overdrive. Yours too?

For Melinda and me that meant moving our youngest child Anna back to Gustavus Adolphus College for her senior year. Then, we moved our daughter Katie into a new apartment. And now, after hosting the wedding of our son Ben and daughter-in-law Sarah six weeks ago, we are helping them prepare for a 9-month work-away international honeymoon. It’s all good!

Harvest time

And September is also the beginning of the autumn harvest in our coaching, speaking, and publishing work. That means the phone starts to ring from leaders who want help finishing their year strong and new clients who think of September as a good time to engage. For me, that means I’m jetting back and forth across the country every week. It’s all good!

Socially, we have football, theater and concert tickets as well as fundraising galas, and a plethora of outdoor activities we are trying to jam in before the ground freezes. Oh yeah, and the church schedule is back in full swing. My life is filled to the brim with the joy of my work, my family & friends, and a general sense that together we are spreading goodness. It’s all good!

And it also means I’m overcommitted. I know it. I’m tired, but I like it.

Coaching myself

In my morning meditation time lately, I am focusing on finding the goodness in margins of the marathon. I’m coaching myself by asking two coaching questions: 1) Why do I create and accept so many commitments? The answer: Because I love the people and experiences in my life, and I like finding time for them.

2) How am I going to keep this overcommitted schedule a good thing? The answer: Take good care of myself. Get good sleep. Eat better (less) and drink less beer and wine. Find 10,000 steps in my day and get down on the floor in the morning to give thanks, build strength, and maintain flexibility. In summary: I’m going to find a way to increase my satisfaction on each of the Seven Fs: my faith, family, finances, fitness, friends, fun, and future. In other words: be grateful.

Good leaders recognize when they are overcommitted. And instead of being bitter, they find ways to multiple the goodness in their lives. Because it’s all good!

Thanks for listening. Please share with me: How do you find goodness when you are overcommitted?