Today I Will Conquer My List/s

One sure sign that I’m not doing so well is when I don’t do my regular to-do lists. There are days when I know I have a lot I need to finish but I don’t have the energy to even think about them. I just tell myself that all these things are in my head but halfway through the day I've forgotten most of them and I kick myself at the end of the day when I haven't done things I'm supposed to do.

Knowing when to force yourself to actually face the tasks and lists and when to temporarily run away from them is something that you need to figure out on your own. Finding that balance may take years but you’ll get there. I think at age 47 I've finally gotten the hang of it through trial and error. Last week I was feeling so meh but I gave myself the grace to just "indulge" in this feeling. But this week I know I have to stop and do something about it. There's no formula to it but you'll eventually figure it out.

If today is the day when you know you cannot “escape”, start by writing everything down first. Don't organize yet, just dump everything in a page or on your notes app. Don’t let the tasks and the thoughts percolate in your brain and overwhelm you. Listing them down will help you figure out a game plan towards conquering things that you think are insurmountable right now. When you break them down into lists and tasks, you’ll realize that they’re not that scary after all.

IF YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING

Start a page in your journal where you just list down all you need to do. Don’t organize them yet, just list them all down. Once you’ve finished with this master list, then start choosing the ones that you need to prioritize and the ones that have deadlines. Break them down into mini-tasks and start crossing out things once you’ve finished them. 

JOURNALING PROMPT:

If you know that you have to face your tasks again, what are things and thoughts that you need to put away in order to get into the productivity zone again?

Productivity tips

- Drink coffee or tea or your beverage of choice

- List tasks and goals down

- Develop a daily weekday routine

- Remove distractions around you

- Take breaks throughout the day

- Reward yourself after finishing tasks