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?
6 replies on “Tomorrow is another day”
Ahh, you have learned my secrets well! When I was a young mom like you, I stressed a lot, too. Now, I compartmentalize my life much better, and focus on what I need to get done now.
I even had a housekeeping strategy I called my Scarlette approach. I worked on 5 things in each room, and left the rest for tomorrow, because it was another day!
Right now I am going to be late for book club, but I am not stressing it.
Just remember, hard work pays off in the long run, but procrastinating pays off right away! 🙂
Where are you going in 2 months????
Back up to Rexburg, then Yellowstone & Grand Teton.
And PS, you are really good at compartmentalizing. Maybe a little too good 😉 .
Oh Scarlett, you have taught as all so much.
okay, I don’t know how I missed this post before. Jordan, you and I sound like stress TWINS! I have insomnia quite often because I am worried about something that doesn’t even need to be worried about! Eric tells me to “let it go–will worrying help you get it done?” but that very thing comes way more naturally to him than it does to me. I write lists. and lists. and lists. I can’s sleep at night if I haven’t written down every little item that I MIGHT need to do this week (or this month!). If I forget to write down something as small as ‘copy a recipe for so-and-so’ and I remember it while I’m laying there, I won’t be able to fall asleep because I’ll be so worried that I’ll forget it! (like that would be a tragedy). And now that I’m working on my masters I am constantly composing papers in my mind. I’ll land upon that ‘perfect sentence’ and can’t find any sleep unless i get up and write it down. Pad of paper by my bed is indispensible!
Elisa—I do the same thing! I’m always working on my fiction, so I’ll get a plot idea or sentence idea as I’m trying to go to sleep.
Recently I found a message written on my pillow. In my handwriting. Backwards. I deciphered a little bit—and realized it was a note I must have written to myself on the back of my hand, and somehow the ink transferred to the pillow.
Ryan is the same way—things just don’t worry him as much as they do me. I’m not as much of a list person as my sister Brooke, but they can definitely through stressful times—like right now, getting ready for my parents to visit next week.