Are you out of spoons?

I make a to-do list every morning. I judge every day on how productive I feel. Doesn’t matter what day of the week or if I’m on vacation, I’m a doer. Sound familiar?

If you’re anything like me, you can easily run yourself ragged and feel guilty for each item that remains on the list. Or maybe you have multiple lists - one for work, one for home, a self-care list that is somehow also an obligation you’re failing at… stop it.

You don’t have to do it all. Stop letting your schedule control your life and shift your mindset so you control your schedule.

Shape each day to fit your energy level. Now, I embrace how variable my energy levels are, and how much more effective I am when I work when I’m ready. I focus on my biggest priorities - for me, my family and my clients - rather than mindlessly running on a treadmill.

A few years ago, I realized I didn’t feel good most of the time. I didn’t feel bad, I just didn’t feel good. And sometimes, I actually felt awful and I just pretended I was fine. (Fool yourself and you can fool everyone else.)

Unpack what busyness means to you. For me, the switch in mindset came when I finally and deeply accepted that I have a lifelong health condition that requires rest. Before then, I was locked in a constant battle with my brain and body.

I still make a to-do list every day, but it reflects what actually matters to me and is the daily routine that prompts me to ask “what on this list am I NOT doing today?”

Your value is not based on how busy you are. You can rest without being lazy and you don’t have to wait to rest until you’re too tired to do anything else anyway. You can be there for your family, friends, community without volunteering for every last event. No one will blame you if you sit one out.