Are you getting less done in a day than you used to? Do the days when you could speed through your to-do list, checking off one task after another, seem like a distant dream? I’ve lost count of the number of clients over the past few months who have told me that they used to be able to put fourteen things on their to-do list and knock them all out. Now, they put fourteen things on their list, but they're lucky if they get through eight of them. They end up feeling frustrated, disappointed, and like they're failing themselves.
The Hidden Culprit
What is causing this phenomenon? My theory is that you are only getting to a portion of your to-do list every day, not because you are doing less, but because in addition to your daily tasks, there is a whole lot of additional invisible work you are doing every day that you are not factoring into your plans. The last three years have been incredibly trying and disruptive, with so much that we’ve had to grapple with. Yet, we’ve never stopped to actually process any one of these changes; we just keep moving forward.
What that means is that under the surface, there is so much going on. We are processing on an emotional level (sorting through disappointments, fears, worries, and frustrations), as well as a huge logistical load. Mechanically, the world is still not working as smoothly as it used to. Simple things, like making a dental appointment, or processing a return for an online order, take much longer now with endless time “on hold”.
Unfortunately, we're still applying old principles of productivity to a completely new world. We are not accounting for what's happening under the surface, the emotional and logistical load that is actually taking up extra time– every single day.
So what do we do about it? I say we recognize and embrace this new phase. Here are three concrete adjustments you can make to end every day with a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.
Shrink your to-do list
First, put less on your to-do list every day. Stop trying to jam in fourteen tasks every day because that is just setting yourself up to fail. Instead, put fewer items on your to-do list, and be more selective. If you can only get nine things done in a day, put nine on your to-do list. Pare your to-do list down to the critical essentials and complete those since that’s all that’s going to get done anyway. When we get what is most important done, we end the day feeling much more accomplished.
Give yourself space and grace.
Stop pressuring yourself to be some sort of superhero, living in denial of the current energy limitations. Acknowledge where we are, and give yourself the grace and space for renewal and self-care. Build in breaks throughout the day. Be thoughtful about how you're spending your non-work time. Take walks. Listen to music. Pick up the harmonica. Connect with loved ones. Micro-doses (5-20 minutes) of self-care at a regular cadence throughout each day can be transformative. Consciously make adjustments to the ratio between energy out and energy back in during this phase of change and recovery.
Redefine a successful day
Finally, consider a mindset shift in which you redefine what it means to have a successful day. Transform the voice in your head that says a day is only successful if everything on your to-do list gets done. Instead, define a successful day as, “I got the most important, impactful things done, and I also took care of myself. And I checked in with the people I love and care about.” Declare a day a true success if you have appropriately rebalanced yourself to feel grounded, nurtured, and accomplished in this new, unique, and evolving world.
Instead of expecting our old reality to be our measuring stick, let’s recognize all the invisible intellectual, emotional, and logistical load that has been added to our plates. And give ourselves credit where credit is due. Adapting our expectations, giving ourselves grace, and improving our definition of success will fortify us to go the distance and feel more balanced and fulfilled along the way.