How to … Overcome Impact Blindness and Make Decisions with Long-Term Clarity

Many of us struggle to say ‘no’ and end up overwhelmed by tasks dumped on our laps. While busyness may be worn like a badge of honor these days, it doesn’t mean it’s good for you. In fact, being busy for the sake of it often just adds stress without yielding real progress.

The key to doing less and achieving more lies in overcoming what psychologists call Impact Blindness. This involves consciously evaluating the long-term effects of your decisions and shifting your focus from immediate tasks to outcomes that genuinely matter.

There’s a significant difference between being busy and being productive, and even more so between being productive and achieving the right results. By letting go of low-impact tasks, you can free yourself from unrealistic deadlines and idealistic expectations. It’s perfectly okay to drop a few balls—no one is going to take your job away or stop loving you for it.

Idea for Impact: Take a moment to reflect on the pressure you feel to be everything to everyone and to do everything perfectly. Are you creating your own stress?