Take Back the Day
Do you have an overwhelming list of “To Do’s” ? You know - on sticky notes all over the house, on the dashboard of the car, in your calendar, on your desk, or just in your head. Do you feel like you are constantly being tossed around by your day? I bet you replay all the things that need to be done all day, only to find that somehow...nothing got done!
What if I told you there is a better way? Anything is better than what you are doing now - right?
Recently, I found myself day after day not accomplishing anything on my “To Do” list or very little. It wasn’t because I lacked motivation to get it done. I would wake up each day ready to crush my list. For some reason I found myself getting frustrated and more overwhelmed because in my eyes, I was falling short. I got tired of feeling this way. This isn’t the way we are supposed to go through our day. We shouldn’t feel tossed around by the day and have nothing to show for it. I decided to do something about it. I sat down and asked myself these questions:
✔Why are these things on my list?
✔Why did I choose to put them on this list?
✔What are they helping me to accomplish?
✔Do they have to be done today? This week? This month?
✔Why do I feel less productive when my list isn’t done?
✔Why do I let these things define my day?
✔What do I want out of my day?
After answering all these questions I realized the things I’m adding to my list everyday are intended to help me with my ultimate goal; to take good care of people. That’s what I love doing! I enjoy interacting with people all day. I love helping in anyway that I can. Sometimes that means just listening, or crying with them, providing a product they need, or giving a little advice. I want to show up everyday and take great care of people. Well...those things on my list were things that contributed to taking care of people, but they were getting in the way of people. It was time to find a new way to do my daily “To Do” list.
I created a “To Do” list that is made to be broken into 3 parts - Urgent, Important, and Follow up. Each part only has a certain amount of lines in it. This is the amount that I have determined that I can handle well and still take great care of people and myself. It makes me truly take time to think through the items that I’m choosing to put on my plate that day. If it doesn't fit within those lines, it doesn't belong on that day. It’s going to have to wait. Leave some room for those urgent things you didn’t even plan for.
What’s on your “To Do” list that’s getting in the way of taking great care of the people in your life? Why not start today by working on someway to organize your list. Then keep building on it until you find what works for you.
Don’t keep getting frustrated and overwhelmed throughout your day because your head is down on a list that is kicking your butt. It’s time to do something about it!
