No April Fools Prank Here—How to Speed Up by Slowing Down (Issue #30)
It’s Stress Awareness Month! Find us here every Tuesday to reduce stress.
📌 Tip of the Week
Here are some important April reminders:
All Month Long - Stress Awareness Month
April 11th - National Pet Day (and yes, we will be celebrating)
April 22nd - Earth Day (this will be celebrated too)
April 23rd - Administrative Professionals Day (we ❤️ you)
Want to keep up on key dates throughout the year, get your hands on the free leadership calendar template!
Quote of the month:
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make” —Jane Goodall
Slow Down to Speed Up
Why Pressing Pause Can Accelerate Your Growth
It’s the first week of April, which means we’ve officially wrapped up Q1. The sprint to start the year strong is behind us—those planning sessions, goal-setting meetings, and early-year projects that had us running full speed since before the holidays.
Now that the dust has settled, it’s the perfect time to ask: Are we focusing on the right things?
April marks a fresh quarter, and if you’re feeling like you’re still catching your breath from the start of the year, you’re not alone. The pressure to keep moving, to stay productive, to always be in motion—it’s real.
But here’s the paradox: If we want to move faster, we actually need to slow down.
The Myth of Constant Hustle
We’ve all been there—juggling a dozen priorities, responding to emails at lightning speed, squeezing in meetings back-to-back. It feels productive. It feels necessary. But in reality, it’s often just motion, not progress.
Slowing down doesn’t mean losing momentum. It means redirecting it. It’s about making space to evaluate what’s actually driving impact and what’s just keeping us busy.
Recalibrating for the Quarter Ahead
Let’s take a step back. Now that Q1 is behind us, ask yourself:
What actually made an impact in the past three months?
What projects or tasks took up time but didn’t drive meaningful results?
Where am I spending energy that’s not aligned with my biggest goals?
If we want to create real momentum, we need to be intentional with our time.
One of the best tools to help with this is the Eisenhower Matrix, a simple but powerful way to sort tasks into four categories:
Urgent & Important – Do these right away (major deadlines, crises).
Important but Not Urgent – Schedule and prioritize (long-term strategy, relationship-building, growth projects).
Urgent but Not Important – Delegate when possible (meetings, approvals, quick-turn asks).
Neither Urgent nor Important – Consider eliminating or postponing (busywork, distractions).
Take five minutes today to map out your current workload using this framework. You might be surprised by how much time you can free up just by shifting your focus to what truly matters.
Wellness Corner
Stress Awareness Month
April isn’t just about fresh starts—it’s also Stress Awareness Month. And if there’s one thing we know about stress, it’s that it thrives when we’re constantly in go-mode.
Stress isn’t just a feeling—it has real consequences on our energy, decision-making, and overall well-being. Studies show that chronic stress leads to burnout, reduced productivity, and even physical health issues. But the good news? Small, intentional changes can make a huge difference.
Each week this month, we’ll be sharing practical ways to recognize and reduce stress, so you can work (and live) with more ease.
This Week’s Challenge:
Take five minutes today to identify your biggest sources of stress. Ask yourself:
What tasks or commitments are weighing me down?
What’s one small change I can make to create more breathing room this week?
We’ll be back next Tuesday with more insights on how slowing down can actually help you move forward—faster. Until then, here’s your reminder: You don’t have to do it all. You just have to do what matters.
Until next time, stay well
~Colleen
Good one this month!