That to-do list? It can wait …
Guess what? My to-do list is going to be left unfinished today … on purpose. I’m taking a stand on self-induced stress and taking as long as I want for a little self-pampering instead. Sure the client proposal isn’t finished and the bathroom didn’t get cleaned; the cat’s litter has yet to be scooped and research has to be done. But you know what? It can wait!
With a busy schedule and a task list a mile long, how many times have you sacrificed self-pampering because there simply was not enough time? How many times have you run yourself wild trying to cross everything off your list just to find the more you get done (or try to get done) the more stressed you get? Or you’ve realized you’ve spent months, maybe years (yikes!) taking care of others, whether it be family or clients, that you’ve completely neglected some true time for yourself?
Sometimes the best thing to do is stop – right in the middle of it all. Shut off the computer, silence the cell phone and take a break. It may be 2:00 in the afternoon and the thought of breaking for even five minutes seems far-fetched, but are you really going to be fully productive and efficient by continuing the day stressed and emotionally tapped-out?
It’s hard to justify the time to pamper yourself let alone not feel guilty about doing so when you feel heavy with other obligations. But it must be done to maintain sanity and emotional balance. And I don’t mean take a break as in, take a quick walk to think about what needs to be done; or take ten minutes to call up a friend and chat. I mean true, indulgent, mindless self-pampering.
Run a hot bubble bath. Finally light those candles you’ve avoided burning because they’re too pretty. Open that bottle of wine you’ve been saving just in case there’s an unexpected special occasion. And I mean it, silence the cell phone, close the laptop and play whatever kind of music as loud as you want to.
Whether it’s five minutes or an hour, take the time you need to indulge and take care of you. You have to take the initiative to love yourself and allow for mental refreshers because very rarely does it just happen to you. When finished, that to-do list that seemed so urgent and endlessly painstaking might not look so bad anymore.
-Shauna
Charleston, SC
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[...] Heathman presents That to-do list? It can wait ? posted at Mackenzie’s [...]
Very motivating and thought provoking pointers. I quite appreciate and agree with your thoughts. Thanks for sharing.