I am one of those people who work best on a deadline. I love to have too much to do instead of too little. It’s not that I don’t know how to relax (I’m very good at it). The problem is that if I only have a few things to do I procrastinate and take all day to get them done.
I would prefer to relax through my day with a book and forget all the things I have to do. When my TO DO list is long, I give up the book or make it a reward if all my chores get done. If I only have a few things on the TO DO list, I want the book first. I convince myself there must be enough time to complete the list once I’ve finished the book. There might be but often one book gets me interested in reading another and then I’ve lost the entire day curled up in escapism.
It may be that this quirk of my personality is part of the reason I didn’t like the idea of having a list of things that had to get done by 30. What would I have done the next day if I met all my goals? Would I have curled up with a book and languished away for five years?
Maybe not having an age be the deadline for every goal makes the individual goals have more value. By saying I want to publish a novel within 5 years (or 10), I’ve set a timed goal. It’s great if I make it. But if I set all my goals for the same 5 years, will they all get done? And what will I do then? I believe the goal of getting things done is to stagger the deadlines. Keep loading your life up with goals. Keep filling your days by completing the steps of your goals. But stagger the deadlines so you will have lots of great success dates throughout your life. Instead of just saying “I accomplished everything I wanted to do by the time I turned 30”.
I would prefer to relax through my day with a book and forget all the things I have to do. When my TO DO list is long, I give up the book or make it a reward if all my chores get done. If I only have a few things on the TO DO list, I want the book first. I convince myself there must be enough time to complete the list once I’ve finished the book. There might be but often one book gets me interested in reading another and then I’ve lost the entire day curled up in escapism.
It may be that this quirk of my personality is part of the reason I didn’t like the idea of having a list of things that had to get done by 30. What would I have done the next day if I met all my goals? Would I have curled up with a book and languished away for five years?
Maybe not having an age be the deadline for every goal makes the individual goals have more value. By saying I want to publish a novel within 5 years (or 10), I’ve set a timed goal. It’s great if I make it. But if I set all my goals for the same 5 years, will they all get done? And what will I do then? I believe the goal of getting things done is to stagger the deadlines. Keep loading your life up with goals. Keep filling your days by completing the steps of your goals. But stagger the deadlines so you will have lots of great success dates throughout your life. Instead of just saying “I accomplished everything I wanted to do by the time I turned 30”.
How depressing to think we might be done at 30.
I plan to be getting things done well into my nineties.
I’m nowhere near the end of my goals.
How about you?
How about you?
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1 comment:
would prefer to relax through my day with a book and forget all the things I have to do. When my TO DO list is long, I give up the book or make it a reward if all my chores get done. I
Don't be hard on yourself. Self indulgence like reading is something much more people should do. I am a reader as well and if I get into a good book I shut the world out and I see it as a gift to myself in a world that is intent on stressing me the hell out.
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