This Again? Why That One Thing LIVES on Your To-Do List
When I stumbled across the meme above I laughed then winced. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who does this, but when are we going to stop? Why can’t I just do the things and get it over with?
Yes, this is 100% a boundary issue. This one, however, is internal work. We set ourselves up for success by creating lists that help keep us on track. But it can also be a source of shaming if we keep shifting things for future us to deal with.
A great example of this is the thing that has been on my to-do list for atleast a month. I agreed to write a small recap article about my trip to Romania. If you give me 30 seconds I will tell you more than you ever need to know. Writing this article has been pushed and pushed (I think I’m 2 weeks late at this point) and now it feels like I should be branded ‘Slacker’. This of course does not take into consideration the 62 other things I’ve done in the meantime. Does it make it ok? Absolutely not.
Here’s the thing, you’ve probably figured out I love to write and I love to talk and write about travel. The problem that I’m unraveling is that I agreed to write this article before I had a chance to process it, and I didn’t make a decision about what I wanted to focus on before I said yes. This allows me to spiral in indecision and miss my deadline. I’m typically someone who submits work early, so everything about this is the opposite of my natural work ethic.
So what does this mean for me and what can you learn from my experience?
I know that saying yes requires me to have space to process and I have a theme/lens for my focus. (Left to my own devices, the article will be about food.)
I can’t be afraid to communicate my needs. I’m sure the deadline was not meant to make me feel anxious and no one can read my mind.
Pause before saying yes. I get so excited to do things that align my interests and spirit. And sometimes I need to pause before I agree.
If I can spend 10 minutes scrolling Instagram, I can spend 10 minutes writing. As soon as I hit publish here, I’m setting my timer for 10 minutes. I’ll set it down then come back before bed to edit then submit. It doesn’t need to be the most perfect thing, it just needs to be done. But you know me, it will be pretty alright.
Tell me, what is lingering on your to-do list and how can you set a new boundary around gettin it done and avoiding this for future items?