We are all busy. Really busy. Just watch your Twitter feed on any given day and you will see just how busy everyone is. Coming, going, this way and that, at 100 miles an hour in 50 different directions at once. 

The past two weeks has been exceptionally busy for me. My video class is in full swing now, and I just found out I’m going to be teaching a Social Media course in the new year. So that’s going to be a steady stream of work to be sure. Our business is terrifically busy, with a couple of new projects that we have been thrown headlong into with very tight deadlines. I’m pulling 11, 12, 15 hour days and so is my biz partner. 

It used to be, when I was working for other people, that the really busy times would be a source of stress, frustration and exhaustion for me. I’d hit a wall eventually, and so would my projects. I’d end up having to take a few days off, just to recover. But this time it’s different, and here’s how I’m doing it:

1) One thing at a time. It’s a recurring theme for me, this “live in the moment” stuff. But I’ve recently read Eckhart Tolle’s “The Power of Now” and I’m telling you, it’s done wonders for me. Instead of focusing on all that I have to do, I focus on what is happening in this moment. All of the other stuff…the stuff that hasn’t happened yet, and the stuff that has already happened…is irrelevant. Totally irrelevant! When I am focused on the present moment, it’s impossible to be “swamped”, “overloaded” or “too busy”. Because the task at hand is the task at hand. When it’s done, it’s done. This takes practice. And sometimes I fall off the wagon. But when I get it, it is truly a magical thing. And the best part is, when I’m living in the moment, life unfolds exactly as it should…no matter what.

2) Sleep well. We all have nights when we just can’t shut off our brains. It happened to me just last week, after an exceptionally long day – and I ended up getting about 3 hours sleep that night. It’s impossible to get a good night’s sleep when this happens, but in the really busy times, sleep is the most important thing! Can’t shut your brain off before bedtime? Do something to give yourself a separation from the day. Take a walk. Read a book (non-business!). Watch a silly TV show (last night I watched “My Name Is Earl” and “The Office” before turning in – the perfect antidote to a busy day!). Sit on the porch and enjoy a glass of wine (or tea) with your spouse. Having some wind-down time is essential to a good night’s sleep. 

3) Take a Selfish Break. Turn off the phone, shut down the email and do something just for you. Maybe its writing a blog post, or catching up on some of your news feeds. Maybe it’s playing a few notes on your guitar, or going out to the garden to snap a few pictures. Maybe it’s just sitting for a few minutes, breathing. Whatever it is, you need to cherish your “Me” time in the most busy periods. It’s your sanity break from the rest of the day and will give you the clarity of mind to continue. 

4) Pat Yourself on the Back. Take a look around at all that you have accomplished in your busiest time. In the past two weeks, I’ve met a ton of new people and learned a bunch of new stuff at a Podcamp, co-produced several radio and TV commercials, launched two web sites, and made a ton of new business connections. I’m pretty proud of myself for that. Every now and again you have to take stock of everything you are achieving in your busy life. Be proud, and happy, and grateful for the opportunities. It will give you the motivation you need to keep on going. 

5) Celebrate. Take yourself out to lunch, or dinner. Have a Happy Hour cocktail. Dance around in circles. Do cartwheels. Go for a massage. Celebrate your success at every step, not just when the busyness is complete. Made it to Friday? Yipeee! Inbox = 0? Woo hoo! No phone calls for 2 whole hours? Yahoooeee! Celebrate the small victories. You deserve it!

I know this busy time will end eventually. But right now, I’ve no reason to dwell on that. In fact, I’m actually enjoying the way things are right now. I’m grateful to be on this journey. And I’m open to whatever comes my way. This is what life’s all about, people. Revel in each small bit of it.

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I am Busy this week. Aren’t we all? Here’s a synopsis of some of what is on my to do list: Research, write and submit two proposals, meet with at least 3 advertisers, record, edit and publish a podcast for GeekGrls, post a bunch of ideas on my blog, come up with my lesson plans for school which starts in a little over 3 weeks, follow up with current clients. And oh, yah…crank out at least 2 scripts for a television show. And it’s only Tuesday. Of course, that doesn’t count the personal stuff I need to get done.

Busy is great – I wouldn’t have it any other way. But Busy can go two ways – you can either let it get the best of you (and end up curled up in the corner in the fetal position for the rest of the day), or you can embrace it.

Feeling overwhelmed? Here are a few tips for overcoming the Busy in your life:

1) Find a partner in crime. I have a business partner. Half of the stuff we get done on a weekly basis wouldn’t be possible if we didn’t have each other. We both have crazy lives outside of work and crazy deadlines inside of work. We rely on each other immensely during the Busy. Finding someone to split the workload will make you more productive, and ultimately more profitable. Just make sure it’s the right person. My partner and I have spent 13 years building a relationship of mutual understanding and respect. It’s like a marriage of sorts – we have to work at it. Good partnerships are hard to find – but when they work, they work really well. And it helps tremendously knowing there is someone there to share the load.

2) Make lots of lists. Don’t try to keep everything in your head – you will never sleep at night. I can’t stress enough how much lists can help you to over come that overwhelmed feeling. I have multiple lists. My calendar, my white board, my BlackBerry, and my notebook all have different lists for different reasons. There’s no tried and true way – find a system outside of your mental list that works for you.

3) Delegate delegate delegate. One of the main stresses of the Busy is trying to do too much yourself. If your to do list is getting you down, figure out which tasks you can delegate. The biggest task hubby and I outsourced this year was housecleaning. Sure, it costs a bit, but less than you think. And now, the last thing on my mind is having to clean the bathtub or mop the floor. And that makes it worth every penny. So, figure out where you can outsource. Hire an intern. Ask your spouse or kids to help you. Hire a virtual assistant. Still don’t think you can delegate? Read Tim Ferriss’ The Four Hour Workweek and your mind will be forever changed.

4) Stay in the Now. Perhaps the most important rule for overcoming Busy is to stay in the present moment. Really, the present moment is all we have. All the to do lists in the world cannot make up for the fact that everything on that list is in the future. And the future ain’t here yet. If you find yourself getting overwhelmed thinking of all those things on your list that haven’t happened yet, stop. Sit back. Take some deep breaths. Regain your presence in THIS moment. I promise you will not only feel less overwhelmed, you will enjoy the process of the Busy much more. And read Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now, it’s life-altering.

At the end of the day, the Busy is good. But managing the Busy is the way to truly get the most out of life and work. How do you manage your Busy?

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Some of you may already know that I am a big fan of Eckhart Tolle’s book “A New Earth”. I am completely aware that it’s not for everyone, but for me, personally, it has given me a new perspective on things, and taught me some valuable things that I have put to work in my own life.

I’ve recently been thinking a lot about Twitter, and why I am so attracted to this way of communicating. And it just hit me – Twitter asks a very simple, yet profound question – “What are you doing?”.

Well, the fact is, in order to figure out what I am doing, right at that moment, I have to take a step back from my cluttered thinking mind and step into my conscious mind. That’s the only way I can understand what I’m actually doing at that moment – without all the filters our cluttered thoughts impose on us.

The more I get used to stepping out of my thoughts and into my conscious self, the easier it becomes, or so I’ve discovered over the past several weeks. And in a strange way, I think that part of my affection for Twitter has to do with how it plays into my ability to stay present. I’m not only focused on my own present, but the timeline of Twitter helps me to see that everyone’s days and nights are really just made up of individual moments in time.

What are you doing? Tweet me at twitter.com/suzemuse and let me know.

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Hubby and I were having a great conversation over breakfast for dinner tonight. It all started with Gary Vay-ner-chuk, and his chime in the other day about Twitter vs. Facebook. In his video post, he talks about how apps like Facebook need to become more immediate and instantaneous or they are going to be eclipsed by the Twitters of the world.

These are great ideas and I think Gary has it bang on. But he really got me thinking about why this shift needs to occur. And what I think it comes down to is WIIFM (pronounced “Wiff-umm”). What’s In It For Me? Here’s my theory.

When I first started using Facebook about 6 months or so ago (that’s like 3 years in Interweb time), I thought it was just the greatest, most fantastic use of the Internet I’d ever seen. I reconnected with elementary and highschool friends whom I had not spoken to in 22 years. I found former colleagues, and discovered what they had been doing with their time since we’d last spoken. It really was as if a whole new world had opened up for me. I mean, who ever thought I would get to (or want to!) talk to my first boyfriend ever again? I certainly didn’t. The fact is, at that time, I was getting something out of it. It was entertaining, like a virtual highschool reunion that never stopped. Every day someone else would come to the party and that would make it even more fun.

But you know what? Eventually, I found every old friend and acquaintance I would ever want to be reconnected with. And the novelty, frankly, has started to wear off. And I’m not alone. I’ve noticed lately that of my 200-and some friends, only about 15% of them actually still post regular updates.

You know what? Facebook…I’m just not that into you anymore. WIIFM, after I find all my old friends? Not a whole lot, I’m afraid.

In terms of actual networking, well, I’ve never really used Facebook for that. Sure, some of my social media pals are also my FB friends, but it’s almost like it’s just common courtesy…well, I’m subscribed to your blog, I follow you on Twitter, so I may as well be your FB friend too, right?

So what is the WIIFM factor with Twitter? Well, as @garyvee says, it’s immediate, instantaneous. All Twitter wants to know is what I am doing RIGHT NOW. (Hmmm, Eckhart Tolle would be impressed!). The social network is shifting. People are becoming interested only in who is at the party now, not who was there yesterday or last week. They don’t want to see that video you made last weekend, they want to see the Qik interview you are doing with Robert Scoble in an elevator right now. They want to get your latest Utterz that you recorded on your subway ride home. In a sense, they want to be in your life as it happens.

The value of Twitter over Facebook is clear. Twitter has the ability to stand the test of time, because by its very nature, it is changing and adapting to its environment all the time, but it’s the community who is doing it, not the developers. @zefrank’s Color Wars and @bedtime stories are clear indications of that, as are the power of the Twitterverse when it comes ruling events like SXSW and Podcamp Toronto.

I think the question really is, is Facebook ready to adapt on the same level as Twitter?

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I’ve been reading Eckhart Tolle’s “A New Earth”. Now before you go shoving this book aside as more ‘new age hogwash’, take a look at this TED video from Jill Bolte Taylor. Ms. Bolte Taylor is a neuro-scientist, who woke up one morning experiencing a massive hemorrhage on the left side of her brain. Being a brain scientist, she studied every moment of her experience and gives an emotional retelling of her story. Tolle’s book is a hard read, and it’s not for everyone. But this talk pretty much sums up what Tolle is talking about, and it’s pretty amazing stuff.

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