I’ve decided to trick myself into slowing down. I learned the other day that if given half an hour to read a magazine, I will vacuum under my bed instead. Yes, I’m certifiably something! Anyway, if I think of reading as accomplishing something, as getting through this box of magazines, I think maybe I would actually do it. I can totally relax if given permission!
So I started with Oprah and I came across this great Martha Beck (love her!) article, “Take a Load Off,” from March (this year! I say that because I have a few Cooking Lights from 2006 around here somewhere) with some great advice.
“Instead of fretting about getting everything done, why not simply accept that being alive means having things to do? Then drop into full engagement with whatever you’re doing, and let the worry go.”
I was just telling a friend about my short-term and long-term to-do lists and was relieved to hear that it makes sense that I haven’t been able to accomplish so many things since my daughter entered stage right. So I’ve let myself off the hook on those things and will work on them once she (soon!!!) goes to school longer days (as in “more than two hours heaven help me I can barely get anything done”). So yes, I’ve got things to do, as do we all, and I can let them simmer on the back burner for a little while longer. Permission granted. 🙂
Love that Martha Beck quote! Going to have to put that somewhere, maybe on my to do list!
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Yes! I feel like I always have 3 calendars and separate planners and a billion lists everywhere. The program I’m using (it’s an app really, I guess) is goalsontrack.com. It has a yearly fee, but for me, it’s already been so worth it. I have the longest lists of To Do stuff. Still, it’s nice to stop and breathe now and then, as well.
Patti, I’m just glad you’re here!
Naomi,
I SO needed to see this today. Sometimes, just reading/hearing/seeing that somebody else has had to put a few things on the backburner puts my life in perspective, too. Right now I’m using this goal tracking software that really keeps me on track and see what I’m accomplishing. But it also has a “back burner” feature, where you can temporarily put a goal out of sight. It makes me feel better knowing it’s still there–just not to be done right at this moment.
xo
I love that! I could use a formal program that isn’t my iPhone note taker. I too love knowing I haven’t lost it and that I’ll get to it eventually. It’s all important, I think.