I take on too much. I am an overachiever. I often get myself overworked and anxious over the many things on my to-do list. I add things to the list faster than I accomplish them. All the things I want to do are overwhelming. Occasionally, I get sucked into what I call a funk.
The funk is when I start feeling down about the things I didn’t accomplish. During a funk instead of getting my butt in gear to get stuff done, I just want to stay in bed all day. Even when I am not in a full on funk, sometimes I still feel disappointed about what I accomplish in a day. If I create a list of 10 things to do today and only accomplish 9 I feel sub par, even if I knew the 10 things was too much.
This year I am trying to approach things differently. Instead of only feeling good about my day when I accomplish everything on my to-do list, I want to feel good about my day when I accomplish the most important thing on my to do list. I want to grade each day on only one thing. It might be a different thing each day, but it is the only thing I need to feel good about my day.
To make this work I have a little birdie sharing the secrets of a feel-good-about-your-day-kind-of-life in daily bit sized chunks. I picked up this Hold My Card Bird for less than $4 at my little shopping trip to Typo. I just thought he was cute. I have finally put him to good use.
He is my “One Thing A Day Birdie”. He tells me what to focus on for the day. I just write down that one thing I want to accomplish to feel good about my day and pop it in his wing. It sits on my desk as a nice reminder throughout the day.
I have learned the one thing does not have to be big, or glamorous, or life-changing. It just has to be. It is one thing to focus on. One small attainable goal. Once I reach my one small daily goal, I feel great and go on feeling awesome about everything that I accomplish on top of my one thing. On rougher days, if I only get my one thing accomplished, I can still feel great about my day.
Sometimes Birdie tells me to focus on work.
Sometimes Birdie is concerned for my health.
Sometimes Birdie is a bit of a nagging mother.
Sometimes Birdie is a funny guy. (But he might be right…I should get outside more often.)
Sometimes Birdie reminds me of the most important things in life.
I am learning to allow myself to be happy and proud of myself if I accomplish my one thing a day. Anything more is just icing on the cake. Birdie helps remind me I don’t have to do everything to feel good about my day.
Oh wow. I can definitely relate to this! Such a simple, but brilliant idea. It would feel so great to look at that one thing at the end of day and feel accomplishment. I’m putting this birdie on my to do list, haha.
I love this! The idea is great and the bird is super cute. :-)
~Sarah
I LOVE!
This is just brillant!
Thank you, and all the best from Hamburg, Germany,
Heike
I’m proud of you! You are going from a rigid structure to a bit more freedom in your own planning for the days. Love the bird! My fave? Read 3 books to the boys!!! I was a teacher….ahhh…best part of staying home part time with my own kids!!
What a simple but meaningful way to change your whole perspective. I so needed this. I can’t wait to start feeling good about the things I do accomplish instead of feeling bad about the things I don’t. Thank you!
Love this – what a great way to keep track of your priorities, especially in the face of a never ending to-do list.
Love it! I want a little birdie reminder too!
Love to pieces! Such a great idea! And cute to boot! I am with you on being hard on myself when I don’t check everything off of my to do list each day, this is better method for sure! ;)
xo!
Jen
That’s such a great idea. I too am very hard on myself for not accomplishing more in one day. Good to read that you’re giving yourself a break. You’re a good role model.
I love this!
This was a fabulous post! Even for people like me of underachieving status. ;) It reminds me that I’ll feel better about my day if I get the most important thing of the day done. Thanks!
What a great idea! And such a cute little birdie!
Did this today – verbalised my three tasks I wanted to get done at work (to my zombie bf), got them done and more (cause I wasn’t 100% clear to myself). So pleased with my progress!