Dear Maggie,
I don’t know how to deal with the current situation, but you always seem to have an opinion. Sometimes I agree and sometimes I don’t, but you always have one. In this case, I don’t even see room for any sort of solution. So, in desperation, and while reserving the right to disagree with you, I’m asking your advice.
I have agreed to do the impossible. The assignment at work is a huge one. The time limit that comes with it, tiny. I have a lot of other stuff going on in my life, and I just don’t see how it’s humanly possible to do what I’ve promised I will do. I just couldn’t say no. I always say yes and eagerly, when my boss asks me to do something. This time, I blurted it before I gave it enough thought. I can’t take it back now. My boss is depending on me. How can I do more work in less time and get this done? HELP!
Signed,
Overwhelmed

Dear Overwhelmed,
Who said you were allowed to disagree with me? (Kidding!)
Okay, as it happens, I do have advice on this. And it’s the last thing you would expect to hear. To get more work done in less time, you need to relax a little more. Goof off a little more. Play a little more.
I’m in a very similar situation, as it happens, and I’m making it work using things it has taken me a couple of years to understand. Maybe I can give you a shortcut.
You can bend time. Or at least, you can appear to do so. The secret is to have fun. Before you begin to do anything, though, make sure you get yourself into the perfect, positive and joyful frame of mind about doing it. So that the actual doing of the job is fun, pleasant, satisfying. Never ever ever force yourself to do a job you don’t want to do and then spend the day hating every second of it. Never ever ever skip doing the job and then spend the entire day feeling guilty about it. Both those approaches will result in failure. Instead, line up your mind with the things you want to do, and then do them and feel utterly good about doing them. No regrets allowed.
So that’s first. Don’t go into this hating it or fearing it or believing it’s impossible. Go into it thinking how great you’re going to feel when you do what others feel is impossible. Nothing is impossible, you know, unless you believe it is.
Okay, second, make sure you take time to do other things, too. Fun things. Even though you’re going to make this job into a fun thing, there are things in your life that you already love doing. Make sure you don’t eliminate those from your existence or even limit them too much. You’ll get more work done in less time, if you’re relaxing and enjoying every moment of your life. I promise you will.
And remember, at the end of life as we lay dying, we won’t be thinking, “Gee, I really wish I’d spent more time working.” Will we? Nope. It’s my hope that I’ll be thinking, “I sure am glad I had so much fun!”
And I hope that’s what you’ll be thinking too!
Hugs and good luck!
Maggie