181: You have to stop somewhere

If your to-do list feels never ending and you struggle to get everything done, you’re not alone and this one’s for you!

Episode transcript:

Good morning, Daily Peppers and a very happy Wednesday to you. It's the middle of the week, it's hump day. And if you feel like there's always something else to do and you need a bit more self compassion, well, this episode is definitely for you. Now, I don't know about you, but I can't remember the last time where I got everything checked off my to do list. There always seems to be more that needs to be done, whether that's in work, whether that's in my personal life, whether that's life admin. And I think this is true for a lot of us. It seems like sometimes there's just never enough hours and there's just always more to be done and the list never ends. And that's why I really want to dive in with you today because to some extent, I think getting it all done is elusive.

There are always going to be more things. And when you get to the end of your list, you're going to think of things that you forgot or you're going to think of things that now you've got perhaps a bit of extra time. Oh, it would be good to get those done or it would be good to get ahead. And let's face it, it feels a bit like we're on a hamster wheel. And it's really hard to stop, it's really hard to get off because there's so many plates spinning all at the same time. And we just don't want to take our eye off the ball. And I know there's a lot of mixed metaphors there, but I think that's what it feels like. It feels like being a hamster in a wheel who's also spinning plates and juggling at the same time.

And it can be really fucking overwhelming. But today I want to flip it on its head a bit and find a new way of looking at it. A way that is kinder, a way that is more compassionate, and a way that actually acknowledges and honors our limitations. Because whether we want to believe it or not, we all have them. And this is going back to this idea that we will never have everything done. And that's okay. And that's where prioritizing comes in, and that's where having really firm boundaries comes in. When it comes to our work and our creative work, that's where having a stop time at the end of the day is really important.

When it comes to our family life and our personal life, that's where implementing boundaries becomes really important. And it's about carving out time for you, even if it's just 10 minutes and defending that as fiercely as you would an appointment with somebody else. Because let's face it, for all of us, it is so much easier to do something for somebody else than it is for ourselves. So today I would just want to tell you this. Your to do list may never end. There may always be things that can be added on. There are always extra items that we forget because we are all human. And the truth is, let's say your to do list is so busy that even if you work for 24 hours a day, you still find things to do.

Then at some point you need to stop. And at some point you need to say, okay, this is what I can do today. These are the most important things. These are the most urgent things. This is what I can do. Let's take some time for me and then let's start again tomorrow. I think it is so easy for our self worth to be so tied up in what we do and how much we do or don't get done. And today I just want to remind you that that is absolute bollocks.

Your self worth is inherent. It is not reliant on things you do. It is not reliant on the things that you can tick off a list and it is certainly not reliant on you round the clock being that hamster on the wheel juggling all the plates. Now I know sometimes life is just so busy and we all go through periods where there is just too much to do, but the challenge is to not let that become your default. The challenge is to have those periods and then go back to having firm boundaries and being able to stop at a reasonable time and putting yourself into the equation as well. So that is my food for thought for the day. I hope you have a fabulous Wednesday. I can't wait to see you back here bright and early tomorrow morning.

And if you want an extra dose of Rebel Rousing, make sure you sign up to my Sunday Emails where I share all the things that I'm personally working through when it comes to building my own wholehearted creative life in the hopes that it's something that might help you too and you can get in on them by going to thathummingbirdlife.com and clicking on Sunday Emails or or just click the link in the show notes. Have a good one. See you tomorrow and take care.

Episode transcript automatically produced by Castmagic.io

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The Daily Pep! is the rebel-rousing, daily podcast for couragemakers, creative, multi-passionate and unconventional women. If you’re surrounded by people who don’t get who you are or what you do, if you want reminders you’re on the right path (no matter how scary it feels), or you’re sick of being your very own dreamshitter, this is the podcast for you.

Every weekday, your host - writer, coach and professional rebel-rouser - Meg Kissack helps you build a creative and wholehearted life, one day at a time. Through short and snappy insights, reminders and stories, The Daily Pep! is here to remind you you’re not alone, and that everything changes when you believe you matter. Each episode is short and snappy, designed to fit in with (or help you start) your habits and routines

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