Years ago I took a tour of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500. The straight-aways were impressive; they seemed to go on forever, calling you to go faster and faster.

Doesn't work feel like that some days, beckoning you to go faster and faster? You decided this morning that you will get that project done today even while you juggle incoming e-mails, phone calls and interruptions. The only way to accomplish that objective is to increase your speed.

Part of my tour included a drive down pit row. As I sat there listening to the tour guide, I imagined what it must be like on race day. The sounds of the engines as the cars fly by at speeds in excess of 175 mph contrasting with pit row, where the cars stop. How counterintuitive that must feel for the drivers. Yet no car is designed to finish without stopping to refuel and get new tires and equipment that it needs to win the race. Not stopping could actually be dangerous.

So, is faster and faster working for you? Are you getting more done or are you spinning out of control? Does it seem like no matter how fast you go you aren't getting anywhere?

Maybe it's time to take a lesson from race car drivers and stop. Just stop. Take a moment to catch your breath, assess where you are and where you want to be. Reprioritize your work, gather the tools you need and then pace yourself.

Come to think of it, many drivers who qualify for the Indy 500 do so by exceeding speeds of 220 mph. But at race time their speed drops by 40 mph. A combination of skill, tools, strategy and the right pace wins the race. The same strategy would work at work.

Henry, founder of Mise En Place, an effectiveness and productivity firm, is a member of Rochester Women's Network. She can be reached at annmichael@m-e-p.com.

This column is written by members of the Rochester Women's Network (www.rwn.org), which seeks to help women connect, grow and succeed.