During times of excessive work and crisis, something has to give. Sometimes brutal prioritization is the only way to make it through those challenging times with your sanity intact.

It happens to all of us. The universe, in its infinite wisdom, determines this month, of all months, is the month to test your mettle.

It was a busy month to start. Multiple big project deadlines, a few social events, tax season, and some home repairs, all topped off with a few trips to other cities.

Then things blew up. New projects came in. Unforeseen issues on existing projects cropped up. Email went into tsunami mode. You got a nasty stomach flu. The IRS decided to audit you. Your cat died. You got in a car accident and won’t have your car for a few weeks due to repairs.

It becomes tough to breathe. You feel swamped. There’s no way out, and there’s no way to get everything done that you need to get done—at least not without pulling all-nighters and putting your sanity at risk. What do you do?

Preserve your sanity. Get some sleep. Go into brutal prioritization mode.

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