In today's world we judge ourselves by our major accomplishments. We may feel a sense of achievement when we get a degree, land a big account, or get a promotion. That sense of accomplishment is very short lived and we seem to only allow it when the events are big. I think it is safe to say that many people feel inadequate and frustrated that they can't get more done. We fill our schedules up each and every day with our to-do lists and we never get it all done. This leaves us feeling anxious, depleted, and often like we are failing at the lives we have set up for ourselves.
Don't get me wrong. I am a list person and really can't live without my to-do list at the beginning of the day. The problem arises when we don't celebrate our accomplishments big or small on a daily basis. Instead it is just do this, do that, do, do, do. Then the next day we wake up and start over again.
I had a life coach share with me a little strategy that has made a huge impact on my life and the way I view my day. She told me to make a "did- do" list at the end of the day. This gets us in the mind frame of giving ourselves just a little appreciation for all we do in a day. This doesn’t mean you have to accomplish huge tasks each and every day, instead it is celebrating little accomplishments like, "I exercised today", or "got some quality time with my kids after work". It is amazing how using this little life strategy at the end of your day can really shift all the anxiety around not getting enough done to recognizing all that you do.
Some days you will have many amazing did do's and other days you'll have to dig up the little things like I made the bed. Your did-do list may look something like:
- I made the bed
- Ate a great, healthy breakfast
- Did yoga for a half hour
- Spoke to 2 potential clients
- Drew up a contract with company x
- Went to the post office
- Ate 5 fruits and vegetables
- Read to my kids
