There Is Only One Way To Eat An Elephant. One Bite At A Time.
The famous quote in this week’s headline has been attributed to several fine folks; St. Francis of Assisi and Bishop Desmond Tutu, most notably. It’s alway been one of my favorite mantras.
I had to remind myself this week to bite off one task at a time, after returning from a week-long vacation. The emails needed responses. The task list got bigger while I was away. The people and the questions and the people asking questions were lining up. Oh geez. The calendar looked like a winning bingo card.
I had a fully grown elephant on my plate for breakfast…so at 8 a.m. Monday morning, I poured myself a “cup of ambition and yawned and stretched and tried to come to life.” Then I made a list….a big, long, three page list of things I needed to do.
Then I made another list, with only the top priorities. My list shrank to a half page. Then I started taking bites of the elephant.
“There is only one way to eat an elephant. One bite at a time.” is a powerful phrase to remember if you’re feeling overwhelmed and overloaded at work or in life. But a more important thing to remember is prioritizing the tasks.
I made my list. Then I prioritized it. And I am proud to say I managed to get all of it done – with a little hard work and a lot of help from others. Then this morning I decided to write another list: Tips For Managing Overload
- Communicate: Let your coworkers know that you’re overwhelmed.
- Take Breaks: Take a quick moment to get up and walk around throughout the day.
- Prioritize: Focus on the most important things first.
- Delegate: Ask colleagues to help with tasks. This not only reduces your workload, but it gives others more responsibility and growth opportunities.
- Say NO: Be honest about with yourself and others about what you can actually get done.
- Avoid Distractions: Remove the distractions: the cell phone, the instant messages, the tiktok vids, that stupid game on your phone and go to a place where you can be free of distractions.
Do you have tips for “getting it all done?” If so, I’d love to hear about them. Maybe I’ll add them to the list.
MONDAY:
THE GOLDEN TOMATO
It’s H-O-T-T-O-M-A-T-O Summer, baby!
And things have been heating up among RVA restaurants seeking the coveted Golden Tomato Trophy. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably already know about Duke’s Mayonnaise summer promotion, but did you know that our favorite diner, Texas Inn, is among the top five finalists and has received over 2,200 votes? The contest ends tomorrow so we need you to vote NOW. Just visit https://hottomatosummer.com/GoldenTomato and search Texas Inn and give them a vote! You can vote every day until the contest ends. #voteearlyvoteoften
TUESDAY:
WTH is ASMR?
We were back to all paws on set at Holiday Barn this week to film a brand new commercial highlighting their tip-top grooming services for all your posh pets! The spot was stylized like an ASMR video, (we had to look it up, too,) but it’s a video with a soothing tone and relaxing sounds to help you and your pups feel the zen. That’s what you can count on from your experience with Holiday Barn – their pack can help out with fun and stimulating boarding and daycare, great grooming, and top-notch training for all your furry family members!
WEDNESDAY:
THIS ISN’T TOILET WATER
Listen, we’re not saying what it is in that koozie, but we can tell you what it ISN’T! Working on fun projects like this summer’s must-have accessory for dog owners keeps our creative team on their toes – and our clients, like Holiday Barn, excited!
THURSDAY:
WRAP, AND GO!
That’s a WRAP – well, it’s a beginning! We’re so proud to announce that we’re working with the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), the good folks behind the Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over campaign to create a new statewide ad program to reduce drinking and driving. Their mission is to educate, empower, and encourage safe and responsible alcohol enjoyment, and keep people in the Virginia and DC areas safe on the road. It’s exciting to work on projects we believe in so much, so keep an eye out when we bring this life-saving campaign to life.
FRIDAY:
ON THE RADIO…OH, WOO, OHH…OH, WOO, OHHH….
It’s Friday, Friday... and I was back on the radio this morning with a long-distance conversation with WRVA’s John Reid, who is covering the Olympic Opening Ceremony from Paris. Almost 4,000 miles away here in Virginia, I gave John’s audience a big list of fun stuff to do in and around RVA. ICMYI, here’s the link.
I will be checking out Rob Schneider tonight at the Funny Bone with my sidekick Jack Saunders. Also, don’t miss the talented and illustrious Jeff Katz Sunday night at “Quest For Cookies” at Friendship Circle.
A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE EVENTS
Now through Aug. 4:
Samurai Armor from the Collection of Ann and Gabriel Barbier at the VMFA
200 N Arthur Ashe Blvd, Richmond, VA
Sunday – Tuesday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Wednesday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Travel back in time at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts with an awe-inspiring look at Japan’s exquisitely crafted samurai armor, from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller collection.
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.“ — Nelson Mandela