photo credit: Sugar Pond

OY! I have waaaay toooo much to do. (I get to say OY, I come from Chicago and it’s better than swearing.) It occurs to me that there comes a point in time when my immediate todo list (as in must get done by yesterday) becomes so overwhelming that I freeze. We haven’t spent a lot of time describing learned helplessness and how to deal with it, but I think one of the things I do is decide that since I can’t get it done, I won’t try. So, here’s my three steps on how to deal with WAAAAY TOOOO much to do.

Chunk It

That’s right “chunk it” not chuck it. In training we’re taught a technique to divide learning concepts into itty bitty pieces. The reason for this is that the brain recognizes beginnings and endings and responds positively to them. The brain “sits up and takes notice” of every beginning. The odds that the learner will remember what is at the beginning are much higher than that they will remember the middle stuff. Endings give the brain permission to take a little break before the next beginning.

Erin Loechner recommends including the approximate amount of time required to complete the task in the to-do list. Then she starts with the really little stuff – maybe 5-10 minutes – just to get started. It helps her ease into getting things done. (http://thinkbakery.com/getting-things-done/)

By chunking your tasks, you create a sense of momentum. Finish a few of the little tasks and you’ll feel the the energy and satisfaction that come from having completed the task. That will give you the momentum to move to the next task.

Share the Wealth

Now that you’ve chunked it, there is a much higher potential that you’ve created a few tasks that others can handle. Are you almost out of gas? Maybe there’s a new driver who’d love the opportunity to drive to the gas station and fill up as long as they don’t have to pay for it. If not, maybe you have a cooperative partner who can help out. Have them clean the windows while they’re at it. Is there laundry? (there’s ALWAYS laundry) Maybe you have to start it in the washer, but you should be able to delegate moving it to the dryer. You’re right, it’s an itty bitty task, but it distracts you from what you need to do.

Let It Go

There are some things that MUST get done. There are others that don’t really need to be done – at least not now. This morning as I was walking the dog, I was listening to Attitude is Everything by Keith Harrell.  He was talking about learned helplessness. The example he gave was the ubiquitous flashing 12:00 on VCRs. Scads of people NEVER set the clock on their VCR because they felt it was too difficult to do. They had learned to be helpless in the face of technology. Although I understood his example, I respectfully disagree. If all you want the VCR for is to PLAY tapes, then it doesn’t matter what time is displayed AND it was a task that simply fell off the list because it didn’t NEED to be done. Before VCRs virtually disappeared from the landscape, manufacturers removed the time display. People just didn’t use it.

Our to-do lists should be written in sand, ready to be modified to fit new circumstances. We need to regularly remove tasks that we’re not getting done. Sometimes we “park” our SHOULD stuff on the list. If it’s not getting done, get rid of it. Having it there gradually drains us of energy as the guilt grows. LET IT GO!

Modified Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity to accept that I don’t need to do everything,
The energy to do what I must,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

How do you deal with too much to do? What do you give away?