The Never-Ending To-Do List

01 Aug 2011 3 Comments

by Sandy & Mike in Personal Development, Real Parenting Tips & Tricks Tags: meditation, relax, to do list, tough to relax, trying to relax

Doesn’t that drive you crazy…the to-do list that is not only 8 pages long, but always feels like you haven’t made any ground on it?

We’ll today I’ve had an epiphany!  I always start my days going at 100 miles per hour, and don’t stop until the kids are in bed.  Then I grab for a glass of wine to simmer me down, and then onto the next day!  So exhausting,… even thinking about it is tiring.

Today’s new thought came as I was just about to start plowing away at that list one more time.  I usually just shot-gun around it, doing whatever is on my mind that I remember at the time.  No real rime or reason,… just doing.

I realized that each day I am working non-stop to finish tasks, but the list is never ending.  At the end of each day, I never feel satisfied, no matter how much I do.  I just begin tasks,… one after the other like I’m on a treadmill, (yet most of the time, I tend to “forget” that task)!   Ahhh… the feeling of never being fulfilled is exhausting,… stressful,… and just plain no fun.

Today the “second” voice in my head said,… “why not just review you list in the morning,  pick 3-5 of the most important tasks that need to be done,  number them in an order so I don’t need to wonder what comes next,… and then when that list is done,  so am I for the day?”  Na,… that would make too much sense?

What,… is it possible that I can actually be DONE for the day??  That sounds foreign, but maybe I’ll actually feel accomplished and organized too?  Hmmm… Let’s see.   Okay, here we go… Today I did just that, and here’s how it worked out:

1. Reviewed my “many” page “to do” list and selected what was most important and needed to be done first (before other tasks could be done).

2.  Numbered them 1-5 in the order I intended on doing them.

3. Felt organized and relieved that the day’s work could actually be finished.

4. Chopped off #4-5 and decided I always tend to overbook myself (after all- it is Sunday)…

5.  Started on #1, then did #2, then 3.  Ohhh… now what?  I’m not used to actually being done?!?

I felt excited,… but confused at the same time.  I am a self confessed multi-task queen.  I really don’t know how to relax!  What’s that?  You know that trait,…  combined with a strong “D” type personality is a tough match.  I have to say, we are usually the best people to have over to eat.  We can’t sit still after the meal so we’ll clean up, wash every dish, wrap the leftovers,… and practically mop your floor when were done eating.

We need to TRY to relax,… it certainly does not come easily.  Forget “trying” to meditate on our own.  We need headphones and a meditation CD to make us “feel” like we are accomplishing something while at the same time we are “relaxing.”

All done, now what??  We’ll for tonight, I spent about 2 hours cooking a home made eggplant parm with my daughter.  Of course that was my “relaxing,” but it kept her busy too.  Then I cooked chocolate chip cookies while we ate.  (gulity again of multi-tasking).

Boy this relaxing is harder work than it seems!  Until the next day… wish me luck!