How to Approach Your To-Do List in 2020

The year often starts with a bang, and as much as we may have set our intentions and desires towards a more fulfilling and happy year, things can often become overwhelmingly busy and challenging with all of our good intentions brushed aside. It seems to me that I have conversations with friends and colleagues at the end of every year who all lament about how the year flew by even faster than the one before and has left them totally exhausted.

I would like to give you a simple tool to help you stay mindfully focused on looking after yourself while you get on with the lists of things that just have to be done.

The Three Bs

Bag it; Barter it or Better it!

When you write out your lists of things to do, take some time to evaluate what you have written as well as how you feel about it all and then use this tool to make your tasks as stress-free as possible.

Bag it:

Do you really have to do this task or is it something that you have just put on your list out of guilt trying to make someone else happy? Maybe it could be something that might be nice sometime but actually right now it’s not necessary at all. Really question yourself on whether or not this is really something that needs to be on your list today. If this is not urgent for today, cross it off your list so you can focus on the important things

Barter it:

Maybe you can’t get rid of the task but you don’t actually have to do it yourself. You can always ask for help or delegate. There may be someone who is more than happy to help you out and you could offer a favour in return, encouraging the energy of giving and receiving into your life.

Better it:

So the things that you just have to get done yourself you can try doing a different way. Ask yourself “How can I make this task more bearable?” Can you get it done with a little fun or something to ease the time spent on it? Listen to some great music that uplifts you and makes you feel like dancing while you cook for the family. Take a break and go jogging in between tasks. Listen to our study music to help you concentrate while learning for a test. Make a cup of tea and practice loving kindness to yourself and people around you if you are out doing a task.

Hopefully you’ll end up feeling really good with the experience of a different positive energy that only you can choose to create while ticking off the list.

Remember that without making sure you take care of yourself in whatever way works for you, you won’t be effective or happy in the long run.

Happy list making and let me know how this works for you.

Love, Margie.