Have you ever had an avalanche day? It’s one of those days when everything seems to go wrong. Maybe there’s a big crisis—or maybe it’s a cascade of smaller ones—but it all piles up, making it hard to keep calm, stay focused, and avoid getting overwhelmed.
I recently had one of those days. As a business owner, I’ve always felt an internal pressure to handle every issue immediately. If someone asked a question or needed something, I would prioritize it on the spot, turning every task—big or small—into a high-stakes emergency. I worried that if I delegated or delayed, it might seem like I didn’t care.
But after a decade of running a business, I’ve learned that this approach isn’t sustainable. Recently, during my own avalanche day, a team member brought up a new issue. It could have been a technical glitch, but I realized it didn’t need immediate attention. I suggested we wait and see if it resolved on its own, and if not, we could address it the next day. That simple decision—to triage instead of rushing to fix everything—felt like progress for me.
Avalanche days happen to everyone, and they teach us the importance of leaning on our teams and recognizing that not everything is an emergency. Sometimes rescheduling a meeting or postponing a task isn’t about neglect—it’s about managing the chaos.
I’m grateful for the incredible support of my team and hope they know that when their avalanche days come, they’re not alone. We’re all in this together.
Comments