Breaking News - The Never Ending To Do List, Will Never End. Get Over It!
Inspired by a recent article on Harvard Business Review titled "You’re Never Going to Be “Caught Up” at Work. Stop Feeling Guilty About It" by Art Markman, I thought I would jot down my thoughts on this topic.
I get it. I'm guilty too. I sit in my office until the sun goes down hoping to feel that sense of being "all caught up", but it never quite happens. Because as soon as you zero out that inbox, if that is your measure of choice here, another email buzz's in. It's as if that person knew that you had just accomplish the impossible feat of a zero inbox count and before you can snap a photo to prove it happened, ding! in comes an email. And then comes the dance, do I stay here and reply so I can get back to that zero, or do I just admit defeat and close the computer knowing it will still be there tomorrow when you get back into the office.
My recommendation, GET OVER IT. You will never be caught up, and if you manage that brief fleeting moment of feeling like that, the stress you will feel waiting for that moment to unravel will make it not worth it anyway. Instead, be kind to yourself, realize there will always be work to do, and focus on what you CAN do, not what is still left to do.
So because I love writing articles with numbered tips, here are a few for you:
Celebrate Your Accomplishments. This was something that I learned when I was working on my dissertation. Even something as small as tackling editing my reference page for APA style deserved a pat on the back. You don't have to take a trip to Italy for that, but hey, maybe having a glass of wine from Italy can do.
Give Yourself Grace. Grace is about acceptance, forgiveness, and self-love. Accept what you can and cannot do. Focus on who and where you are, not where you want to be. Forgive yourself if you do not accomplish something along the timeline that you set for yourself. And love yourself no matter what is going on. You are your #1 cheerleader.
Focus on What You Can Control. We stress ourselves out especially when there is something that is beyond our control, using up energy that can be better placed on figuring out solutions, or changing direction completely. Instead of seeing a roadblock as an impossible wall to scale, look to see if there is a different way to get to your destination, or even a totally different trip! If you return back to this original task a day later, that roadblock may no longer be there. Be sure to share with stakeholders of your intention if you change tasks, otherwise you may end up creating stress for them! And then they will end up having to read this article!
In the end, you want to be kind to yourself and create an environment in which you can feel and be successful. You will get it done.
To read more about the article that inspired this writing, visit it here: https://hbr.org/2018/07/youre-never-going-to-be-caught-up-at-work-stop-feeling-guilty-about-it?utm_campaign=hbr&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social
