I know I'm overscheduling myself when my planner starts to feel like a dictator, telling me what I should be doing every moment of the day. I know my planner isn't going to be all fun all the time, but when there's too much work and not enough fun written into my days I know things are off balance and it's time to back off a little.
Of course there are times when this can't be helped, like during especially busy times. But as long as it's temporary and I have something fun to look forward to, I can make it through. Something else I want to try, which isn't my natural tendency but worth experimenting with, is to prettify my planner pages with stickers or colors so at least it's nicer to look at all the work I have to do.
Do you ever have times when you don't even want to open your planner because you know there's nothing fun in there? How do you get through those times?
Sigh. I know it too well. But these times when everything piles up in an unpleasant way are usually not the normal state of affairs. This is where you appreciate how your planner helps you remember it all. And for me it adds an extra layer of discernment about what really can be postponed or rescheduled
ReplyDeleteDefinitely Christine. When I have my schedule and tasks written down in front of me I can move things around and prioritize. When I just do it as it comes at me I quickly feel bogged down.
DeleteI'm just starting to try keeping a planner, after many, many years away, and a friend reminded me to put fun things on my to-do list. If your planner doesn't have any fun things in there, and stickers and colored pens isn't doing it, maybe you need to actually look at scheduling a bubble bath, a movie night, or some such fun thing.
ReplyDeleteJudy good point, when it's all work and no play that's a red flag that it's time to make time for relaxation.
DeleteShoveling manure - that's what it feels like when I have to start working on the list of tasks for the day I wrote down in my planner... Work on projects, by the way, which I am extremely enthusiastic about. But my whole creative being rebels against scheduled work. I do it anyway, because of course the work is fun once I get in the flow and I love ticking off tasks and looking back on a productive day. I do reward myself with reading, TV and walking, but that's not in my planner. Otherwise, I might also start to resent that...
ReplyDeleteMarieke you make an excellent point, even when something is fun, if I feel like I HAVE to do it I want to rebel!
DeleteI definitely put the fun stuff in my planner - in ink, even. There's no way that stuff is getting erased and moved further out.
ReplyDeleteChristine that's an excellent point, when we're so busy it's easy to let the fun stuff get edged out. But it's important, prevents burnout and keeps us happy!
DeleteYes, I can sure relate! My life has been insanely busy and unpredictable these days and I constantly feel rushed and like there's no time for fun. I used to schedule fun stuff or include it on my list but I haven't done that for a while. My planner does feel like a taskmaster. But the thing is . . . if I use it, even though I feel that way, it will allow me to fit in some fun. Because I've been floundering for so long, my ducks aren't in a row. Submitting to the planner and it's instructions will get my ducks back in a row and build a life with less rushing and more fun.
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