Procrastinating = stress. It’s true. But sometimes, procrastination isn’t about putting something off that you really need to do right now—sometimes what we really need is to prioritize.
Right now I have probably a couple dozen things I want or need to finish in the next month or two—but not nearly enough time to do them all. Having all these tasks and deadlines hanging over me was really, really stressing me out. I was convinced I was going to forget something important, and we’d end up without a car or I’d fall behind on things like . . . I don’t know, this blog. (No comment.)
Finally, I started writing the things down—and I realized I don’t have to even think about some of these things for weeks. I’m just worrying myself crazy (as opposed to sick) over things that really, truly, I don’t have any need of thinking about right now.
Yes, I’m planning a vacation in two months—I’ve mapped a basic route and the details can probably wait at least a month or two until I finish the writing course I’m taking. Yes, the library books are due in three weeks—I don’t have to stress about them for two. (Or I can toss them in the car and return them the next time I drive by.) Yes, we need to buy a new car, but not tomorrow.
So I made a list of those things and the other tasks that I feel compelled to finish—and I will assign myself a time to worry about them. Later. Yeah, there’s a chance I won’t have any more time later—but it’s really not something I have to worry about today.
How do you reduce stress in your life?