Our world and society is no doubt in constant motion. Between the persistent buzzing of social media, work emails, notifications, and all the like, our modern world allows us very little time for rest. It can feel like there’s always something to get done. Once one thing gets crossed off the to-do list, three more things are added. Is there ever going to be an end to the chaos?
In my work and everyday life, I highly rely on my to-do list. Without it, I don’t think I’d have the brain capacity to keep track of every little task, every idea, every project I want to work on. From short-term tasks to long-term goals, my to-do list has been my go-to for many years now. I realized pretty early on, however, that there is an element of frustration that comes with a to-do list: there is no end.
I learned pretty quickly that if I wanted to stay organized but also escape this “busy trap” of constant doing and no rest, I’d have to make a few changes to my approach and schedule.
Create Daily To-Do Lists
Set priorities each day. There will always be a million little things to do. But you can’t tackle them all in one day. Choose a few most important tasks that can reasonably be done in a day, and spend your time on those. Tomorrow is a new day.
Start Your Day Slow
There’s nothing worse than your alarm going off, and immediately having to rush out of bed to get out the door. Make time to wake up slow. Don’t check your phone or to-do list right away either. The day will be full of work, no need to rush right into it.
Schedule Breaks Throughout the Day
Make time to eat, to take a walk break, prayer break or even a break to do something you enjoy. Whether that’s on your lunch break or if your schedule allows for occasional quick breaks, your peace of mind will thank you.
Take the Pressure Off
It’s easy to put a lot of pressure on ourselves – to meet certain deadlines or goals, to complete everything perfectly, to pride ourselves on how busy we are. But don’t let the constant business come at the expense of the quality of work you provide. Prioritizing rest will make your work that much better.
Don’t let the fast pace of the world convince you that you must live fast-paced too. Take things day at a time, and don’t fear prioritizing rest. You’ll be better off for it.
