Tag: to do list

Taking life to seriously

I sat around this morning drinking coffee, and playing my To-Do list in my head over and over like I typically do wondering if I would ever get it all done on time and how all these future events would transpire. Does any of this sound familiar? Anyone with a modicum of drive and determination falls victim to this kind of routine, and quite frankly it sucks. Here’s the thing we all take life too seriously and we suffer because of that. Sometimes I have to remind myself that a year from now I probably won’t remember all the shit I worried about today, and ironically no one else will either.

The Stoics especially Marcus Aurelius often thought about just how insignificant we are in the scheme of things. I can assure you that no matter how successful you are at work, once you move on and within a couple years or less you will be just a distant memory to those who remain. The company or organization you work for will march on without you because that’s what they do. So lesson one is stop taking your work or yourself so seriously, really in the scheme of things, it’s not that important. I know this is hard to hear because you put so much of yourself into your work, you have tied your identity to what you do, not who you are.

I can hear you now and I can hear myself saying, well that’s great, but I have a lot of shit to do, and if I want to keep earning a living I need to get it done. Most of us can’t just jump off the hamster wheel and join a Buddhist monastery, we need to provide for our families and all that other stuff. When I talk to myself and yes I talk to myself, I try to simplify and tell myself it will all get done, but only if you focus on one thing at a time and stay present. Being present not only makes you more productive so you can eradicate that to-do list, but it also reduces your anxiety as you are not focusing on the future.

Another benefit of focusing on the present moment is that you begin to find joy in what you are doing. Here’s my advice, fuck the productivity benefits, screw the fact that you are getting more done for others; focus on the present for yourself so you can gain some enjoyment from what you are doing.

Namaste

 

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The passage of time

You can’t make more time, and in fact you don’t even know how much time you have other than the present moment. All you can do or any of can do is make the most of the time we have right now. We are forever putting shit off for tomorrow, with a myriad of excuses. I’m too tired or I need to finish that stupid Tiger King series on Netflix. While the concept of time is finite for all of us, we still can’t seem to grasp the value, or we grasp the value so much that we think we must accomplish a massive to do list everyday of our life, leaving us just exhausted by the end of the day. When we invest our precious time in trivial pursuits that exist on our to do list we are in effect wasting time.

You say sure Mr. Joseph, but I have bills to pay, children to feed, and a fucking to do list that just scares the shit out of me, as I then spend my precious time wondering how I will get all this shit done. Well you won’t and you shouldn’t. As I’m writing this I have noticed for weeks that my side and back yard looks like a jungle, weeds everywhere, but that tropical jungle is way down the list of things that are important or that I like to do. You must abandon the idea that you can get all this shit done by yourself. If you are like me this is a very difficult proposition, as I am very independent and normally don’t want help from anyone, and on top of that I am cheap as hell.

Yes, I am an idiot!

You probably have three or four things you must do today, but make sure a couple of those things are also things you like to do. Prioritize those 3 or 4 things, which may allow some time for emergencies, and when you finish those things look at what is left on that pile of to do’s and pick away at it. Remember those three or four things are the things that both give you enjoyment and also move your life forward. Stop obsessing about the whole list, and if you have something like a jungle to contend with in your yard, consider letting it grow, or find someone else to deal with it.

Namaste

 

If you would like to support this blog, check out the awesome selection of eBooks at:

Mind, Body, Spirit books at eBooks.com

If eBooks aren’t your thing, check out my Resources page for additional ways to support this blog.