As leaders, we walk a daily path into the unknown. Today is a reality and tomorrow is a mystery. We are all juggling possibilities and fending off challenges while trying to keep our eyes on the future we dream of.

I frequently hear leaders talk about feeling inadequate and not up to the task at hand, whilst being aware of the expectations that people look to them for guidance.

Without a proven method to manage these two challenges, the feeling of handling multiple challenges and the pressure to lead with confidence can cause us great anxiety.

And when we feel under this amount of pressure, our saboteurs emerge in the form of our least productive behaviours – controlling, criticising, dismissing, avoiding, etc. (If you don’t know yours, it’s worth taking a free test at www.positiveintelligence.com)

We all feel overloaded like this at times. It’s a natural part of living, amplified by being a person in a leadership position.

One solution is to stop, breathe, and organise. Data from our recent Bankability Gap report shows that leaders who organise themselves in the form of a 12-month budget are many times more likely to succeed than leaders who don’t have the discipline to do this. So planning really works!

The ABCD solution is both personal and practical

A: Acknowledge that you are feeling stressed, anxious and unproductive. Take a deep breath. Remind yourself what is really important to you – go back to your vision board. Bring a smile to your face.

B: Brain dump everything that’s on your mind. Everything. From feeding the cat to calling your client. This is called a distraction list. It can take 15 – 20 minutes to do this, depending on how many worries you have!

C: Craft this list into four parts: 1. Immediate priority (strategic and time-bound) 2. Important but not urgent 3. Delegate to others and 4. Discard. Keep the today list tight. No more than 6 items.

D: Dedicate precious tasks to your golden hour. One hour before you switch on emails, phones or internet. Attend to the strategic, game-changing items on your to-do list first, before you open up to the challenges of the day.

This has been my routine for 20 years. It’s the reason I am able to stay centred, productive and inspired, despite life’s highs and lows, challenges and personal disappointments. It’s what I advise all the people in my team to do. I hope it’s of value to you too.

Wishing you a fabulous week in which you can get back to feeling calm, confident and in love with life.