Bogged Down in the Minutiae

Everyday can feel like an endless to-do list. As fast as I take things off that list, more stuff appears until it feels like I am a rat in a maze or a hamster on a wheel. Spinning my wheels; not getting anywhere. I sometimes feel a sense of dread, as opposed to relief, when I start to see the end of the tunnel because along with the light comes a deluge of more things that need to be done. I can also feel like I am doing one thing at the expense of doing something else. I often wonder whether in the larger picture how much of all of this stuff that needs to be done, is truly all that important.

I have read tips like make your to-do list the night before, so it doesn’t wake you up at 3:00 am. Keep a pad and paper by your bed in case you have a middle of night idea about something life changing. Multitasking while you sleep?? Use a voice note in case you have another life changing idea while you are driving. In my humble opinion, all of this distraction can not be good for your brain and central nervous system. In fact, as much as we might like to believe we can multitask, the brain can only do one thinking task at a time. It cannot pay attention to the road and the phone at the same time.

Having lists to keep track of your lists and feeling like you’ve only accomplished something as determined by a set number of check off boxes, feels like a fast track to burnout. I would much prefer to live in the moment, notice the natural world around me, number my days by the people I’ve connected with and the experiences we had together. Instead of creating yet another to-do list, focus on the positives of the day, the people you’ve touched, the moments and people who have touched you, the things you are grateful for, the experiences you are looking forward to. Take a moment right now to breathe, wonder, be mindful and release your inner dragonfly. The stuff can wait!