I consider all the inspirational, motivational and educational content I share to be valuable, but this one is REALLY special. First, a little back story…to say my father was not interested or involved in my life is a considerable understatement. Fortunately for me, my maternal grandfather was, and he stepped right up and became the positive influence I needed and cherished. Pappy, as his grandkids affectionally referred to him, was a member of the greatest generation. He believed in working hard, fixing everything and never throwing away anything. I suppose that happens when you live through the great depression. I first heard this saying holding the flashlight for Pappy while he was repairing, replacing or improving something for my family. I am confident that, at the time, I sighed or rolled my eyes (or both) because, you know, kids are kids. I frequently held the flashlight and routinely heard him say “If You Don’t Have Time to Do It Right, How Are You Going To Have Time To Do It Again”. In time, Pappy promoted me to assistant and eventually trusted me as the project lead. Eventually, the student became the teacher and I was able to teach Pappy a few things, typically because technology marched on and he didn’t want to be left behind. I was so proud on that fateful day when I had the opportunity to remind him that “If You Don’t Have Time to Do It Right, How Are You Going To Have Time To Do It Again”.

And now, I love that I can share this message with all of you today! Sometimes when we are managing and multitasking, excellence suffers. We sacrifice quality for quick completion. Frankly, that is NEVER a good idea and the results are rarely, if ever, good ones.  

Here are some pro tips to help you side step this bear trap. When you are feeling overwhelmed and like you have more to do than you have time and resources for, take a moment and create a POA (Plan of Action) first. I realize that you likely fee like that most days so this is a great process to complete as part of your daily routine. How about an example of what a great POA looks like. First, complete and deliver client obligations. Next, ensure anything that is owed to your team or is creating a “stop work” in your organization is done so other projects can continue simultaneously. Finally, work on other tasks strategically based on those you are most well prepared to complete balanced with those that you will get the MOST return on. As an example, you may want to work on your marketing tasks before your administrative chores since marketing will hopefully pay dividends by way of brand awareness and lead generation. I can (and will) do entire posts about schedule and task management ideas but wanted to share some tips and tricks that you can implement today.  

Ultimately, the moral of this story is to ensure that doing it right is your highest priority and always your ultimate goal! Pappy believed that his saying “If You Don’t Have Time to Do It Right, How Are You Going To Have Time To Do It Again” was a mantra so use it frequently and with a great deal of love just as he intended it!