Over a year ago I started using the basic outline that "The Five Minute Journal" came up with. It consisted of three things that I was grateful for, the three most important things to do for that day, and affirmations. That was just the morning part. I haven't been using the journal for about three weeks now, and one of those sections (although they are all good practices) that still remains very important.
The part I am talking about comes from the "Three Most Important Things To-Do Today". I'm not sure if that's what it's officially called, but close enough. Holding yourself accountable for getting things done is important, as well as starting your day off with a baseline for success in that day, but it never took all three things for me to consider it a successful day.
Like so many other people, I stress about the future. Very human. It is tough to cope with that stress because the future is coming whether you like it or not. Seeing the value in preparation, action, and time can only add to that stress.
However, what I noticed, after many months of writing these journal entries, is that;
There is really only one important thing, usually at least twice as important as the other two, that I REALLY need to do that day.
It's something that I usually rationalize as not being urgent, but it's elevated importance in my life makes it more urgent then the other things. It's a problem that I'm not facing, it's a conversation I am not having, it's a task that I have been putting off, and it's all the emotions and rationalizations that I have used to push that further back on the to-do list.
And it was something that if I didn't do, by the end of the day, I would feel terrible for letting myself get away with not doing it again.
Examples of what it could be;
- Call _________ to follow up about resume.
- Ask _________ about possible places to work this winter.
- Ask _________ if they want to get a drink/coffee/naked at your friends bbq.
- Decide on whether you are going to __________ or _______________
- Create your website
- Call _________ about getting started with ____________
- Begin studying for _____________
- Start planning _______________
- Apologize to ___________ about _______________
- Call __________
It was usually something that sat on my mind for days or weeks that was causing me chronic stress. It was the thing on the list that gave me the most resistance.
Now, it manifests itself as a reminder on Google Calendar. There is a specific time and day that it could possibly happen. Sure, some things rely on opportunity, but if it's on the calendar, it's there to stay. Until I can mark it as done of course.
I don't write down three to-do's anymore, but there is still that ONE thing that I am resistant to day-to-day that down the road, if I worked on today, could be much more beneficial to my life than the other two.
It won't be difficult to find that one thing. See if it can't be done today (or at least started).
If you're interested in checking out The Five Minute Journal, I'm sure you already googled it, but if you didn't you can click here.