You just made the list. Whether you’re about to start a new year or you’re making a grocery list, it’s never an easy task. The prospect of writing down everything that needs to be done can feel intimidating and overwhelming. Most people don’t like to do it because they know how hard it is going to be later on when they go back and read their list. But what if there was something in between? What if you could have your lists for this whole week ready by Sunday night? Wouldn’t that make things easier? In this blog post, we will discuss the emotional stages of making a list so you can get through them quickly!
Anger: you just made the list
Denial and Isolation: you’re about to start a new year or maybe even make a grocery list, it’s never an easy task. The prospect of writing down everything that needs to be done can feel intimidating and overwhelming. Most people don’t like to do it because they know how hard it is going to be later on when they go back and read their list. But what if there was something in between? What if you could have your lists for this whole week ready by Sunday night? Wouldn’t that make things easier? In this blog post we will discuss the emotional stages of making a list so you can get through them quickly!
Denial: you are feeling overwhelmed with the prospect of making a list. You have no idea where to start so you just put it off.
Denial and isolation: you are starting to feel more overwhelmed with the prospect of making your list, things on there seem even harder when you think about them individually which makes you want to avoid doing this task all together.
Anxiety: it’s time for that dreaded feeling before staring at paper or screen and getting started on those tasks that need done in order for tomorrow morning not be as stressful, we’re talking about the blank page syndrome everyone experiences from time to time while trying to get their work day ready; *you’ve decided what needs done but now you don’t know how make it happen because everything feels like such an undertaking
Disappointment: you’ve made the list and crossing off those tasks is really gratifying, it makes you feel accomplished but then you get to that next level of understanding that this whole thing was just a temporary fix for your inner control freak who needs everything in order.
Resolution: now you know where to start because tomorrow morning will be easier when you have a roadmap of what needs done and how long each task takes.
Reality check: once again we’re back here, ready with pen or stylus poised over paper debating on which item should go first; an internet search pulls up page after page of bloggers talking about their latest lists while showing them proudly at the top like they are truly something amazing. This is just the beginning, you don’t even know what’s gonna happen next.
You may feel accomplished but then you get to that next level of understanding that this is just the beginning. You’ve made a list of tasks you need to get done, but now you’re faced with another hurdle: what order should they go in? *I guess we’ll find out soon enough.
It’s like crossing off one thing and then realizing that there are five more items on your list before it reaches its completion. And if this sounds confusing or frustrating, don’t worry because tomorrow morning when you have everything written down will be much easier than today evening where all these thoughts keep racing through our heads about what needs to happen first. Do some research beforehand so you know how long each task takes; use tools such as Toggl or Rescue Time (or whatever else is available) for figuring out time estimates per project.
This way you’ll know how long you have to work on a project, and can plan accordingly. For example, if we’re talking about getting into shape – let’s say that cardio takes an hour and resistance training requires 45 minutes. Well then I should know that in one session of exercise I can do either but not both.
So instead of worrying so much about the list coming before your eyes or feeling overwhelmed by everything you need to get done tomorrow morning when it all comes together will be easier than trying to go through this overwhelm stage tonight (or any night).
Plus you could always try something like meditation for those high-stress moments where nothing seems to make sense or is going according to plan.
