So Much to Do and Not Enough Time
By: Louise Moulin
Tags: Life Lessons, Productivity, Self-awareness, Motivation, Parenting

So Much to Do and Not Enough Time

Time management for the frazzled

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

If you’re like me — your dreams are getting bigger. You are stretching beyond your comfort zone into the unknown — the realm of infinite possibilities. You know all is possible and all you have to do is do the work.

Consistency and persistence! You’re fired up with the burn of fire energy. You can’t sleep at night because you’re so enthusiastic. Finally, you actually believe in your bones that you-can-do-it.

You’ve drowned out the naysayers. You’ve dusted yourself off and got back on the horse. You now know, the only opinion that matters is yours.

You stand on the rock of yourself and now is your time to shine.

You’re back in the game at long last. You’ve lists of goals and lists of steps to those goals. You have separate notebooks for the separate projects. You are aiming high, for the stars, because you know now — without a doubt — if it is meant to be it is up to me.

It is exciting and it is draining. There’s still the dishes to do. The family time to incorporate, the relationships to maintain, the maintenance to get on top of. The car to wash, the mending to do, the haircut appointment, the groceries. None of it you want to do because you have BIG DREAMS beckoning.

There doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day. You’ve put on your wishlist: cleaner and personal assistant. You’re being knocked about by algorithms. There are clothes all over your bedroom because you’re too distracted to even know what to wear. Decisions undecided in an endless churn of multiple choice of where to put your focus and your energy when there is so much to do — and so little time.

Here are some time management hacks for you.

Ten-minute bell

Set the timer for ten minutes.

You can get a lot done in ten minutes. You can tidy your room. Wash and dry the dishes. Clean out the car. Wipe down the shelves.

In ten minutes you can do a facemask.

In ten minutes you can write a poem.

In ten minutes you can do some stretches for your beautiful strong body.

In ten minutes you can read your notes.

In ten minute blocks, you can achieve a lot and feel like it was easy.

Whatever is nagging at you, set the timer and give it ten minutes. When the bells dings, you can tick it off your list.

Wear different hats

Wear different hats for our separate tasks.

I have an apron I wear for cooking and cleaning. It helps me do the chores in a concentrated way.

I get in and get it done.

When I take the apron off — chore time is over.

It stops the scattered activity.

When I’m writing I wear my spectacles. When I stop writing. I take them off.

When I’m in the garden I wear my gardening gloves. When I stop. I take them off.

When I’m out walking I wear my walking cap. I don’t wear this particular cap in the garden. It is just for walking.

Having clear demarkations through items you wear helps your brain categorise your mission.

Procrastination Day

I write lists a lot. Lists are a good use of cortisol. They get the churn out of your busy brain and into the light. From lists, you can cross off and tick off.

But those lists can be as long as your arm and something is often missed.

I make a list titled: Procrastination Day. And tackle them all in one day.

The day is planned in advance. Like spring cleaning or moving house. Procrastination day starts with a cafe bought breakfast and ends with takeout dinner, so the day isn’t layered up with cooking meals and doing the dishes.

The whole day is dedicated to the procrastination list.

I feel better knowing on Saturday the 10th of whatever, is procrastination day.

Schedule Drift Time

Drift time is vital for the creative mind. I take drift time seriously.

Yes, there is a lot to get done, but you’ve been doing it this whole time.

It is important to recharge and play and follow your nose.

My drift time is Friday afternoon. I take off the apron, lay down my tools, I am excused from deadlines and chores and the anxiety of the big picture.

I often wear a dress for drift time. I encourage the feminine, receptive, dreamy energy to wash over me. I might have a bath, but I don’t plan it.

The point is to simply drift and wander around. Pick up a book. Or not. Lay in the sun. Stare out the window. Paint your toenails. Listen to music.

You don’t know what you will do in drift time because you haven’t planned anything, except to drift. If you find yourself planning things to do in drift time — you’re doing it wrong.

Drift time is mooning about and that is all.

Closing thoughts

You are doing great. Look at all you’ve achieved so far and how finely you have grown. You’re not the same person you were three years ago. The change is impressive. You’ve stopped some bad habits, you’ve become more compassionate, you’ve believed in yourself and in your dreams.

From here on in, it’s just a matter of pace.

Pace yourself.

Thanks for reading,

Louise