Mantra for Monday no. 109
Do you have a cumulative list of 'to-do' that gets ever longer... as soon as you tick one thing off you think of another two or three to add?
Yeah that's me too. It's not a good place to be. Where is the sense of achievement of having 'got things done' if you list keeps growing and growing all the time simply reminding you of what you haven't done yet?
Sometimes all it takes is the tiniest thing to tip the balance.
My life had been getting increasingly chaotic and and the more I added to my list the greater I lost my sense of clarity and I would procrastinate for longer, pick at the small tasks to try and tick off small things instead of getting stuck into the big things that would make most difference.
My decision to go away on holiday with friends last week almost didn't happen as I felt I was too busy being 'busy', but I decided to change tack and treat it as a working holiday away form my usual environment. It was a game changer for me, largely because I decided that for the first time in as long as I could remember it would be a total internet and social media free zone. I put my phone onto 'airplane' mode the moment I left England and I didn't turn it back on until the moment I touched back down in London.
It was bliss.
The best thing? I got so much work done. My mind was clear without distractions I could happily sit in the sunshine tapping away at my keyboard for hours without temptation from email and social media notifications flashing on front of my eyes. (yes I know I could in theory turn these off but the temptation to check is still there!)
I also read books. Lots of books. Books that i'd be meaning to read for a long time, without feeling I should be somewhere else, doing something 'more worthy' of my time. P.s my friends were happily alongside, chilling out and reading beach books and sunbathing so I wasn't being a party pooper by working!
Last week my 'to do list' simply didn't exist, yet it was one of my most productive weeks. At my own pace, in my own time, without the usual self imposed expectation or obligation.
So, my aim going forwards is to have one 'to do list free' 'airplane mode' day each week, probably on a Sunday. It won't be easy for me outside the context of a holiday setting but it's a place I need to get to and be comfortable with. I think a little time out to re calibrate, to connect with the world and wipe the 'to-do list' slate clean each week should be top priority for us all.
What is Mantra for Monday?
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