Today’s Guest Post is brought to you by Candace Johnson. I met Candace when we moved into a small wonderful community in Saratoga Springs, Utah. Candace is an incredibly kind and accepting person who is always ready to help when someone is in need. I admire her strength and perseverance. She is also a wonderful writer and I have learned/enjoyed the articles she has written in the past. This article is no exception. I’m taking her challenge this week and I encourage you all to do the same. We all need reminders to prioritize our lives from time to time and to enjoy the important things.
Enjoy!
– Jessie the Therapist
Recently I watched a ‘TED talks’ that inspired me to think about all the inessential things that weighed me down. The man speaking explained that sometimes we hold onto something because it’s what we have become accustomed to though unnecessary to our well being.
That night I sat in my bed, after my kids were asleep and I made my usual list of what needed to be done the next day. Well, my list was an entire page long! I knew it wasn’t possible to do every thing on my list in one day. So I decided to cross of the things on that page I felt I could let go of. I prioritized what was most important and crossed the least important tasks off my list.
It was liberating and freeing to look at my list of “To Do’s” get shorter and shorter but it was also surprisingly hard to choose which ones to cross off. I even cringed as I tried to eliminate what i deemed “less important”. I wondered why this task was difficult for me? I would be doing less, shouldn’t I be excited!? I realized it came down to my attitude. I don’t need to do it all. I don’t need to be it all. And I don’t need to check off 25 things to feel like I’m enough. I just need to be present.
With fewer tasks to accomplish it allows me to focus on what’s most important. With a to do list of so many items I was not able to slow down and enjoy the most important parts of my life. Looking at my list lead me to ask myself, “What were some of the ‘bigger picture’ items could let go of in my life”?
After much thought and soul searching, here is the simplified list I came up with for myself.
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Comparison
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Doubt
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Pleasing everyone
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Wasted time
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Guilt
Here is a good way to start simplifying and prioritizing your tasks.
1. Turn off Media and Technology.
We live in a world where it’s nearly impossible to completely unplug but we can limit our use. First I removed facebook as an app. It wasn’t as easily accessible which made it less desirable to me. Second, as a family we have chosen to have a “technology free” dinner rule. For a good half an hour or so we completely focus on each other. Lastly, I set my phone in a different room. This sounds silly but without it literally attached to my hip in my pocket I was able to focus more on what was in front of me than what might be happening on my phone.
Without media distracting me as much, I was able to accomplish my tasks sooner and more efficiently. I was also less concerned what my friends were accomplishing on social media and therefore was not comparing myself to others as often.
2. Estimate how long each project will take.
As soon as I listed the length of each task I could more easily determine if it was possible to finish in one day or if I needed to break it up over the week. I had originally listed “Clean Basement.” What that entailed was moving every book, toy, piece of furniture, and storage box completely to the garage so we could begin finishing the basement. When I listed that it would take me 8 hours, I laughed out loud and realized that was a task to be divided over more days. I actually made better use of my time, and wasted less of it because I wasn’t so burned out half way through.
3. Do one new thing a day.
Weather it be drive a new route to the grocery store or take up water coloring. I realised that much of my to do list was exactly the same day in and day out. While cleaning and laundry are necessary it was important for me to try new things so that I was living an authentic life, not just following a routine. I learned that by working on myself I cared less about pleasing everyone. I still want to make people happy, especially my loved ones so I haven’t completely given up on pleasing those around me. I just make sure I am content with myself, filling my bucket, and progressing so that I can more fully bless others around me.
As I worked on simplifying my to do list I found that I focused more on my children, husband, family and marriage. With that came true joy. I was able to learn more about myself as I allowed time to just be silent. I freed up space to learn new talents, serve others and teach myself new mediation tricks. Our lives are full of busy tasks that we try to accomplish just because we’re accustomed to do those tasks. Instead lets slow down and do what matters most.
Challenge: I challenge you this week to cross of the unnecessary tasks on your to do list. In doing so I hope you are able to engage in what’s most important, enjoy the reward of focused attention, and feel liberated as you live a simple life full of purpose. Start by crossing off simple tasks on your to do list, then allow yourself to let go of unnecessary burdens in your life.
Candace Johnson is a Freelance Writer, Crime Victim Advocate, Mother and Wife. She has published articles for KSL, Family Share and local news stations. She is a Presenter, Educator and Speaker in her local city. She loves spending time with family, traveling, cooking, reading and learning new hobbies. She is currently in school to finish her degree in psychology. She resides in Utah and dedicates her time to raising her children, volunteering in her community and writing articles to motivate others.
You can reach her at candacejohnson819@yahoo.com
