Staring at an endless to-do list, knowing in our bones that there’s no way to finish it all.
I was working with a client who was essentially doing the job of three people at a nonprofit. No matter how efficient we made her systems, there was simply too much on her plate.
She wasn’t failing, she was being asked to fit the ocean into a bucket. 🌊
And I see this everywhere right now. County workers, corporate employees, small business owners, even parents at home—all running understaffed, under supported, and overwhelmed.
The truth is, no amount of color-coding or calendar hacks can make the impossible possible.
But here’s what does help…planning.
It seems simple, but we need to take time each day to decide what we are going to spend our time and focus on before we launch into action.
Unfortunately, most people feel so overloaded that they want to just launch into action the minute they see anything urgent or important.
But, unfortunately, you can’t do and plan at the same time.
When you’re in “doing” mode, your energy is focused on output. When you’re “planning” mode, your energy is focused on perspective, resources, and strategy.
Trying to combine them means you’ll always feel behind and overwhelmed.
If you don’t take time to plan, the outside world will dictate your focus. Your email, boss, coworkers, or even your family will happily decide your priorities for you.
But they’ll be prioritizing their needs—not necessarily what matters most to you.
This is true at work, at home, and especially in stressful times. Right now, so many of us are stretched thin. There’s more to do than time to do it.
But you’re the only one who knows the real limits of your time, energy, and capacity.
So, here’s what I want you to do:
- Pause. Take a breath,
- Check in with yourself: how much energy do you really have today?
- Set a timer for 10 minutes. Use that time to decide what’s most important to focus on today. Write it down.
- Jump in and get started.
When I get stressed out, my bestie always reminds me, “There’s always going to be more to do than time to do it.”
If that’s true (and it is), then let’s stop pretending we’ll “get it all done.” We won’t. And that’s okay.
What matters is choosing wisely. Your time, energy, and attention are sacred.
We can’t do it all, but we can choose to do what’s important or necessary for us today.
So, What’s the one thing you want to focus on today?
Comment below and let me know. I’d love to cheer you on
