Stop Trying to Do It All - Do What Matters Most Instead

If I’m being honest…and that’s just how I roll 😎…

...the idea that you can “do it all” is worse than a myth.

It’s a mistake.

A shiny, hustle-culture mistake that sounds empowering… until it doesn’t.

Until the truth shines through, and you’re buried under a calendar full of commitments.

Until you're running on caffeine fumes or sugar highs.

Until you realize your focus…and joy…are missing. Or worse yet…stolen.

Trying to “do it all” usually means doing many things halfway or in “good-enough” mode that’s lacking your excellence. It can also mean pushing a few things so hard that you lose the desire to keep going.

It’s not sustainable. It’s not healthy. And it’s definitely not how you were designed to lead and live.

Here’s the truth:

Time management was never meant to push you past your limits into exhaustion.

But that’s how many leaders use it...turning it into a whip instead of a tool. The cost?

Burnout.
Shallow work.
Missed opportunities.
Relationships and personal well-being quietly slipping to the bottom of the priority list.

Some people call that “success.” I don’t...and I want to challenge your thinking.

It’s time to discover if the ladder you’re climbing is leaning against a damaged wall.

The First Step: Admit You Can’t Do It All…And Accept It

Before any productivity system, planner, or app will help you, you have to fully accept this: you cannot do it all.

You weren’t meant to.
You weren’t designed to.
And I’ll add…you weren’t called to.

You know your time here is both precious and purposeful...right? And I trust you’re trying to walk in that.

Here’s what I know to be true:

A time management tool won’t magically give you more hours. Sorry. It will only help you track, plan, and evaluate the hours you have. It might show you where you can open up some of those.

But if you’re using it to pile more and more on your plate, or shuffle things around…it’s not time management anymore. It’s time manipulation.

Abuse.

Reasonable Goals for a Real Life

Let’s make it practical.

Let’s look at a scenario with Amanda. Let’s say…she’s set a goal to expand her business into two new markets within a year. Cool.

At the same time, she’s committed to serving her existing clients with excellence, attending multiple industry conferences, and finally making time for that leadership development program she’s been eyeing.

On paper? Ambitious and exciting.

In reality?

If that sounds like you…if you and Amanda aren’t careful, your “success plans” could turn into survival plans.

That could mean crazy travel, 14-hour workdays, email at midnight, skipped workouts, and running on adrenaline instead of strategy and purpose.

That's not just exhausting. It's also…boring!

And while you might hit some of your targets, you’re also setting yourself up for diminishing returns. Why? Because your clarity, creativity, and decision-making suffer when you’re exhausted…to name a few.

If your success costs you your health, your relationships, and your peace…it’s too expensive.

The Career Culture Trap

In some industries, the culture practically demands that you are “always on.” Especially in many work-from-home situations.

You’re expected to answer emails whenever, maybe jump on red-eye flights or red-eye Zoom calls to accommodate client time zones. Not to mention having to sacrifice personal time for “urgent” client needs.

And you believe that, as a biz owner…it’s just what you do!

You might even convince yourself it’s “just for now” and that the sacrifice will pay off. 😑

But be honest with yourself:

Is missing out on meaningful personal experiences worth an award or recognition you’ll barely have time to enjoy?
Is risking your health worth chasing a deal that may or may not even close?
Are you okay with looking back and realizing you spent the best years of your life keeping other people’s agendas and businesses moving…while your own sat on pause?

I say…no!

Time waits for no one. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. You can’t get it back.

And while deals, partnerships, and contracts can be replaced…can I offer a little truth-in-love reality?

Your health, relationships, and sense of purpose cannot.

The Difference Between Dedication and Obsession

And to be clear…there’s nothing wrong with giving extra effort in a season. I’ve done that. I’ve got the polo shirt with my name on it!

If you’re launching something new, taking an inspired risk, or stepping into a higher-level role…there will be times you lean in hard.

But there’s a line between dedication and obsession.

Dedication fuels momentum. Obsession drains it.

Read that again.

When your time management strategies allow you to deliver results and preserve a life outside of work in a healthy joy-filled way…you’re building skills and rhythms that will serve you for decades on both fronts. It’s beautiful, even in the making!

And here’s the bonus: clients, investors, and team members might just notice that. But don’t make that your goal.

They’re not trying to preserve your life. That’s on you.

Sure, they don’t want a leader who’s running on fumes. They want someone who makes clear decisions, inspires confidence, and leads from a place of strength…not survival.

Be THAT example.

Finding the Right Environment

You can absolutely design a business, or choose partnerships that value both achievement and rest. That recognize you’re not just a role or a revenue generator, but a whole person with a full life.

Yes…you are! And I don't want you to be lost in it!

Wise leaders and smart companies understand this:

When people have space to live a well-rounded life, they show up to work with sharper thinking, more creativity, and greater capacity to solve problems.

And if you’re the business owner…understand that for yourself!

So...don’t chain your worth or identity to a company, role, or client that measures you only by how much you give.

Instead, be the kind of leader who says:

“Do enough in your excellence, AND do for yourself in excellence, too.”

How to Break the “Do It All” Cycle

If you’re nodding along but wondering how to step off the hamster wheel of false productivity…here’s where to start:

Get Clear on Your Priorities
And start with THE priority. Identify the outcome that matters most in this season. Not what looks impressive…but what’s aligned with your values, purpose, and God-given identity.
Decide What You’re Not Doing
Every “yes” has a cost. Protect your time and energy by intentionally saying “no” to the things that don’t serve your bigger vision and calling.
Protect Your Energy With Intention
Time management is really energy management. It’s capacity management. Your mental, physical, and spiritual capacity is finite. Schedule recovery time like it’s a non-negotiable meeting.
Choose Environments That Value People Over Production
Work with people, companies, and clients who see you as more than just output. That’s a dangerous space to be in.
Stop Waiting for the “Perfect Time” to Live Your Life
The perfect time doesn’t exist. The life you want isn’t a “someday.” It starts with the decisions you make today. Oh...I guess this IS the perfect time. 😁

One of the statements on a picture on my wall is:

“I live for today, with tomorrow in mind.”

Powerful.

You Weren’t Created to Do It All

You were created to do what matters…with purpose, excellence, and joy.

So, the next time you’re tempted to accept one more deal, add one more commitment (that you won’t act on), or take one more “urgent” meeting…ask yourself:

Is this building and supporting the life I want and am called to?

Or is it burning through the life I have, or that others have identified for me?

Here’s my encouragement for you: Because your time is a gift...receive it, and be grateful for it. Don’t spend it all in one place, or spread it too thin.

Live for today with tomorrow in mind…IN purpose.

I want to be your lifestyle strategist.

If you've been working to up-level your lifestyle, or to have “work/life balance”…and feel like it's been a struggle, not quite the fit…I'd love to chat with you.

Let’s see how Life Orchestration could help. If you're open to it, contact me here, and tell me a little bit about you, what’s going on personally and professionally, and what goal you'd like to achieve by the end of 2025. If it makes sense, I'll invite you to a complimentary Bridge to Breakthrough call where together we'll:

identify what’s fitting and what’s not
clarify the best perspective of your next 3-4 months
and cover some simple step solutions to your greatest current challenge around that (with or without my further help).

It's time. Touch base with me here.

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I'll meet you on the bridge!

Deni