Have you ever stopped for a minute to think about the numerous hats you wear every day? Probably not! I mean, not many of us ever have the time to even think through the juggles we sustain daily, but somehow we get through the day, don’t we? But what would you give to have the expert knowhow to juggle the many roles (or wear the many hats as I call it) daily and master the art of effectively wearing each one of them effortlessly? Well, you bet, in this article, I give you some helpful tips and insights.
Let’s consider just how many hats we wear every day: employer/employee, wife, mother, daughter, sibling, friend, teacher, entrepreneur, mentor, volunteer, mediator - the list just keeps going on and on. So, how do you juggle the many hats efficiently and effectively?
The starting point is, acknowledging which of the many hats are most important to you and dedicating more time to them to have that balance in life. This, however, doesn’t mean that you ignore the other hats you are intended to wear daily. Although some of the roles on your plate may not be the highest-ranking in importance, they likely are things that you want to still be doing. So, to wear the many hats effectively, there are some virtues that you may need to be cultivated daily. Some of which I talk about in this article.
So, just how can you wear so many hats every single day and still manage to keep your head high and straight like a skilled tightrope walker? The answer: agility and adaptability. You have to ensure you have the kind of role flexibility that would keep you balanced to keep priorities in check even amid conflicting role play demands. Build the dreamlike elasticity to stretch across from one role to another effortlessly.
However, while adaptability is a great virtue to have, no form of elasticity and agility would cut it without a clear vision. Having a clear vision is one of the most critical virtues that would help you know your mission, see and influence the bigger picture. This will enable you to lead, inspire and turn your passion into a motivational tool that would draw others to help you achieve your goals.
Dedicated mental and physical presence in the task at hand is as valuable as the other virtues and will provide you with much needed immediate balance whenever you need to re-balance. When working or with family, you can tell all other distracting thoughts to scatter! Staying on the task as much as possible will help you complete it on time and move to the next effortlessly. Set boundaries, stay focused, be fully present. You can do it all, only not all at once.
Did I also tell you that it's perfectly okay to say no sometimes? Oh yes, IT IS! You have the emotional intelligence to say no, walk away from a task or role that doesn’t add value to the process or bring on help, and delegate. These are all forms of saying “no” intellectually and subtly without bringing on the guilt. When you say no, remember, you are only communicating that you have the right to focus on the things that are of utmost priority and importance at that moment. Hence you don't need to wallow in guilt about it at all. And if you can't say no, well, you know you can always swap your hats and play the most imperative role suitable to the current most critical season!
I couldn’t end the article without nudging you to always cut yourself some slack and make space for some wiggle room in your daily expectations. Always remember life never disappoints in providing surprises and unexpected twists and turns, so make room in your daily mission for them.
Last but not least, ensure to inject self-care into every role. As they always say during an emergency, "secure your oxygen mask before fitting somebody else's". Make provision for yourself, so you can be able to provide for others. Find motivation so you can motivate others, seek mentorship so you can overflow to mentor others. You get the idea!
I know! You might argue, “But sometimes I just have to wear more than one hat at the same time!” Well, if you must juggle, then choose roles or tasks that can easily integrate so you can handle both efficiently and effectively. A good example; if you must attend a meeting while trying to throw in a few minutes of fitness, then take the meeting on your phone while you walk around the house, yard or neighbourhood.
As one of the most celebrated women, fashion designers said,
“I think that a woman wears so many hats. We have so many aspects to us that we're not just one thing. We represent so much within us, and that kind of comes across for me as a designer through mixing prints and colours." ~ Rachel Roy.
So spread out your confidence. You are the designer of your destiny! And YES, YOU CAN wear your many hats and play the roles you have to effectively. You just have to apply the know-how and work the magic!
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