Have you ever felt like you were crazy busy all day but still weren’t able to finish the things you wanted? You aren’t alone. We’ve all got to-do lists that are far longer than we have time or energy for. And yet, we will continue to add items to the list until they’ve grown out of control. Time management is one of those subjects most people tend to avoid, usually because it’s coming in the form of unsolicited advice from people that irritate us.
This is where I come in. I encourage you to identify the items on your list that you’ve been avoiding that you really don’t want to do, or simply don’t like doing. Once you’ve identified these tasks, figure out how long they might take to complete. If it’s something that only takes a few minutes, like making a phone call, here’s your inspiration from the universe to go ahead and get it done right now.
Waiting to do the hard things doesn’t prevent discomfort, it actually extends it.
Waiting to do the hard things doesn’t prevent discomfort, it actually extends it. When we see a list of things that we don’t really like, it makes the whole day look harder. Even worse, just looking at those tasks and then choosing to avoid them, costs as much energy as doing it, if not more. By getting them out of the way, then you don’t have to carry that emotional weight the rest of the day.
Finding more energy by being brave
Is your list so overwhelming that you don’t even know where to start? That’s okay. This often happens when we try to carry our lists around in our heads for too long. They start to feel bigger and harder than they really are. If this is you, sit down and make a list of the top ten things that need to get done today or soon. Writing things down turns those thoughts into reality.
I guarantee there is one item on there that you’ve been avoiding. Take a deep breath and do that item first and see how you feel. These tiny moments of being brave will unburden you and give you more energy to face the rest of your list.
If you’re someone like me who has huge plans and goals, but tends to put everyone else first, I challenge you to create space for working on that goal early in the day. Creating a time where you get to work on something that’s important to you will motivate you to better stay on task to be able to fit it in.
Task linking for the win
One of my biggest issues is consistency, especially when it comes to routine chores. The best way I’ve found to get stuff done without stressing about it is to link the thing I want to get done to something I’m already not going to miss, like feeding my kids breakfast. So, if I want to incorporate starting the laundry into my morning routine, I pick a time that works when I know I’ll already be doing something. I find there’s usually several minutes between when I call kiddos down to eat breakfast that I’m usually standing there annoyed that they aren’t moving faster. It’s a perfect time to start the laundry.
Discussion Question: What’s the one chore/task that you always tend to put off?
