Every now and then, it can all get a little bit much. The to-do list. The inbox. The laundry pile. The deadlines. It literally never ends. Can you relate?
Today I’m sharing some advice on not letting the continuous pile of tasks get on top of you. This is how I’m making peace with a never ending to do list.
Boundaries
Boundaries are a fantastic, healthy way to stay sane when it comes to a mountainous pile of to-do’s. There will always be more you can do, so where do you draw the line? This is where boundaries come in.
Whether it’s a strict cut off point in the day where you stop being productive, switching your phone on silent so YOU can switch off in the evening, or not starting your day until 9AM, by which time you’ve spent at least an hour dedicated to you and your self care – reading a book, listening to a podcast, going for a walk or to the gym.
A mantra I like to use relating to boundaries is,
“Not everything has to get done today”.
There has to come a point where you say, “I have done enough for today. Now I deserve to recharge before another productive day tomorrow”.
You can’t let it be on top of you 24/7, you need some time to get away from it all, and boundaries allow you that necessary breathing space.
Perspective
When you’re right at the end of a deadline, your inbox is piling up, you’ve forgot your doctor’s appointment, you have a client on the phone with an issue – it’s easy to feel like the world is not on your side that day. This is where I like to take a step back, take a reality check and get some perspective…
“Nobody is forcing me to do this”.
“The world is not going to end if it has to wait another 12 hours for me to reply to that email.”
“Nobody is going to die if I don’t tick off every last item on my to-do list for today.”
Reminding myself to look objectively at the situation and to just take a chill pill every now and then, really helps.
You might benefit from writing some of these phrases down on a sticky note by your desk, at the top of your to do list – somewhere to serve as a reminder.
Honour the Journey
If you’re anything like me – driven, goal orientated, passionate about being successful – you can get a little caught up in those end point destinations, and forget that life is all about the journey.
The journey is where you learn about yourself. Make mistakes and overcome adversity. Meet and connect with incredible people who support you. Discover your capable of so much than you initially set out to accomplish.
Focusing on how incredible the journey is, has really helped me shift the focus away from the end destination. In turn, I approach my work and life with a much more relaxed mentality, because I’m present in the here and now knowing it’s just as important.
As long as I’m staying on the path I’m guided towards, I know I just need to trust, and keep moving forward.
A practical way I overcame this impatience and frustration of feeling like I hadn’t ‘arrived’ yet, was meditation. Learning to let go out of the outcome, be at peace with the fact that life wasn’t going to happen on MY terms, trusting that everything outside of my control was happening for my greater good, and accepting the present situation for what it was. Just 5-10 minutes per day, I notice a huge difference in my mindset. This video was a game changer for me. – “I release the need to be in control. It is not my job to be in control.” Here are some of my favourite guided meditations here and here. I also love the Insight Timer app
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