Sometimes, More is Just More
3 Places to Reconsider Just Piling On
I was sipping a cup of mint tea while listening to a virtual keynote delivered by brand builder, Nick Westergaard. (Yeah, like I had to say it was virtual).
When talking about content, he made the statement that “sometimes more is just more.”
An acute analysis of many a bulging yet superficial editorial calendar. We’re all trying to feed the SEO machine, build credibility, and hopefully reach someone in a way that engages them. But doing more doesn’t mean we’re creating something better, valuable, or even productive. It can just mean more.
For those of us trying to spend our time in a way that matters and moves the needle, this rule of more can be applied to many things, other than content, with the same rigor.
Here are 3 that come to mind for me:
1. Meetings
Most employees attend 62 meetings per month. Half of the meetings are a complete waste of time — thus, a suggested 92% of employees find themselves multitasking during meetings. And yet, we keep scheduling them as if somehow the problem will work itself out.
I tend to avoid meetings at all costs. So when I do have a meeting, it’s necessary.
Then there are things you can do to make the meeting more productive, like setting a clear goal for the meeting, providing detailed information in advance (then actually reading that information so you come prepared — a big leap in my experience), and naming a decision owner.
Putting this kind of thoughtful effort into a meeting can also serve as a filter to determine if the meeting is needed. If you aren’t motivated to do the work, maybe that meeting is just more.
Bonus: As a purpose-driven organization, you can also include your company purpose at the top of whatever you circulate, or in the calendar invite, to keep yourself focused and aligned at the same time.
(Find more fascinating statistics about meetings here.)
2. Services / Products
It can be tempting to do all of the things all at once. In fact, I’m a huge advocate for being a multi-hyphenate or renaissance person.
However, when it comes to your business offerings, more is typically just more. You cannot be all things to all people, and more importantly, you likely can’t be exceptional at all things. Pick the things that you do best, that provide genuine, lasting value, and that build a repeatable business model — then hone your offering to your specific audience.
Bonus: Consider how your impact and revenue relate. Can you hone your offerings to only include those things that make impact and money?
3. Hours
I am an unapologetic workaholic, but as I’ve moved along on my journey, I’ve gotten more comfortable with the reality that I can only work in a way that’s impactful for so many hours a day. And I’ve learned that it’s okay to unplug rather than stare at the screen, hoping that by sheer willpower something magic will happen.
Another way to think about this is to say that work fits into the number of hours we give it. If you give it 5 hours or 20 hours, that’s how long it will take. More can easily just be more, not better or effective.
Bonus: When you prepare for your day, ask yourself how what you’re doing connects to your purpose and your goals. If you get a lot of radio silence back, reprioritize.
As you approach your work and your life this week, ask yourself: Where am I adding value and where am I just adding more? Then you have the opportunity to refocus the efforts going into more to do something better.
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