Sometimes we get caught up in the "MUST DO THIS" stage

Sometimes we get caught up in the "MUST DO THIS" stage, and we find ourselves in the position where we tried to get everything done (to spend time doing the things we like)......only to find that list is bottomless.
(house pictures are from a couple of nice looking builds I saw on Architizer - thought I better share the inspiration......keep reading.....)

I have discovered recently, that if you have enough self drive, that list forever increases in length - and on the flip side of the coin - if you have no drive......no items on the most basic of lists are done. Your house isn't vacuumed, the dishes sit in the sink, that project you started 6 months ago, never moves. Life stands still according to your list - but in reality the list keeps growing out of your control.

So what do you do. Well I can tell you now - the problem is not the list, its not you. Its the fact that we are put in a place assuming the role of the perpetual worker. As you know, as good worker - makes everything in his/her job a "MUST DO" task. Must clean the bench. Must get that proposal in today. Must get home by 5:30pm........and while these things are good - when you think about it; Are they must do?
Can they wait an hour? a week? a day?
So is being your best - the best you can be? Or the best you can do for now because you must do this other thing right now......
Obviously the flip of this is you get lazy, unmotivated....can't be F***ed. You think that if you stop doing things, you will be fine. But the fact of the matter is that while the world passes you by minutes, hours, then days......then one day you sit back and realize that you have this massive catchup list you need to do, the one that has built up over years. You jump out of productivity rehab, get told to run when you can barely walk.

This weekend I experience the middle ground. The 'must do' tasks changed from ones with deadlines, to ones that I wanted to happen. My uni stuff, my work stuff, even the household cleaning became second priorities to holding my wife, talking to my unborn son, chatting with friends over dinner/drinks, prepping cleaning room, sorting my motorbike......and I even dedicated some time to thinking.

Isn't it strange that we always imagine "thinking about something" is a must do task. Yet when we get around to it - the response is simply "Oh I don't have time for that now - lets just get this done".
Imagine if your doctor just pulled you into the operating theater and said that. Or a builder built a house without a drawing.

YOU MUST DEDICATE TIME TO THINK.

Even if its only 5 minutes to contemplate why you are unhappy in your job, unhappy in a relationship......or more importatly what you are happy for.

After 5 minutes of thinking you will come to some most profane conclusions. It may change you entire day. Your whole "Must do" list goes out the window. Because when you think of your priorities - is your life currently catering for them?

Take care all
www.farrst.blogspot.com