(Day 14) Sticky Notes Save Lives! Or At Least Your Sanity.
I used to be such a worrier, especially before bed. I just couldn’t get myself to relax.
I counted sheep, read books, even drank warm glasses of chocolate milk (which instead triggered my bladder reflex something fierce and kept waking me up all night long) and still I couldn’t get those zzzzzz’s zooming over my head fast enough.
Then I found Mr. Sticky. Or better known as, sticky notes!
A small square pad of sticky notes holding just enough room to place 3 tasks (5 max if you really cram them in). I place up to 3 main tasks weighing down on my mind right before bed and viola! My restlessness was cured. At least until the morning.
Once I knew if I could accomplish at least 3 things on these sticky pads (or get close to it), it helped me feel more accomplished as I checked off those items, whittled down down never-ending to-do list, and would bring those 3 weighty items or things I was holding onto each night before bed, onto the nightstand table, literally, until the next morning.
Also, I must note: how you write out those tasks is important so so you don’t set yourself up for failure. Sometimes you need to break down 1 weighty task into 3 smaller tasks to accomplish that day.
For example: laundry.
Yes… I know I might be mostly talking to my mommy friends on this one but seriously ladies, isn’t this always a beast?!
I would always get disappointed when I wrote on my list-of-things-to-accomplish-for-the-day-something-like, “do all the laundry” and then of course it didn’t get all done to completion. Which then would increase my anxiety that day, make me feel more stressed, and make me feel like a failure when those piles remained on the couch the next day, and the next day, and the next.
SO instead, I began to break it down into smaller doable chunks.
For example: Box 1) Collect all laundry in the house. Box 2) Get 2 loads of laundry washed + dried + folded on the couch (stretched this one a tiny bit). Box 3) Put away folded laundry in their designated spots.
Perhaps this day I had a LOT more than 2 loads of laundry to do. But I also had other items on my agenda for the day that might take up some of my undivided attention as well. Yet, my priority that day was to GET TWO LOADS OF LAUNDRY WASHED AND DRIED AND PUT AWAY. If I accomplished this all would be right in my little world that day.
Reminder, give yourself grace when unforeseen situations arise.
Perhaps your child falls and needs stitches so you rush to the emergency room and was there for the majority of the day, taking up all your time you would have otherwise had to do laundry. Or a big project just came up that needs a quick turnaround response of 24 hours, then of course give yourself grace to delay your laundry for the following day.
But don’t keep delaying those tasks that seem daunting or never ending or overwhelming. Because they will only continue to eat away at your joy, your productivity, and your ability to attain a calm peace of mind, even if just for a moment.
Even if it only lasts for one day until you have another huge heap of laundry to do. Or you only have clean floors for less than an hour before someone spills on it (ahem, little people). Or you have managed to get your email list to zero new emails… only till the next day when you have 100 new ones.
But celebrate, even if for a few minutes, your accomplishment with something small. (If you’re anything like me, you get a high just checking off those little square boxes you created next to that task list!)
Celebrate by enjoying an evening walk with your family.
Or go out for ice-cream with the kids.
Or take out that book you’ve been dying to read a chapter on and enjoy a moment of rest between the busy.
It’s important to give yourself a small pat on the back, or a reward of some sort, for accomplishing your list of 3 things for the day.
Delay yourself the satisfaction of watching another rerun of The Gilmore Girls until you’ve accomplished those tasks. Then enjoy a little bit of fun for a job well done.
***If this is the first time you are joining me with this series, please click here to catch up! Scroll down for the list of “days” and corresponding links you might have missed!***
