The Reason You Can't Get Everything Done

I took a moment to review my day.  It was 11:10 pm, I was tired and ready for bed.

As I mentally tallied up my accomplishments, I felt surprised and disappointed.  What I thought would be a long list of items I could point to turned out to be a much shorter list of two achievements!

"What happened?"  I wondered.  I had been busy all day.  Focused, staying with my tasks, keeping distractions at bay and only breaking for lunch or the bathroom.  How could it be that I could only have competed 2 things from my (exceptionally long) list??

Have you ever experienced this situation?  You wake up with great intentions, convinced you will make huge strides through your to do list.  You imagine people clapping and cheering you with awe and respect, wishing they could be as efficient as you… (okay, that part might just be me...!).  Then at the end of the day there is little to show for your efforts.  At least, there is little according to your impossibly high standards….

In case you are thinking there is something wrong with you because you have so many unfinished things, let me assure you that its not true and let me also offer you a hug for this tender place of feeling like you might have failed.

Your to do list is unfinished because of capacity.

Human beings have a limited capacity for producing.

Human beings also have grand imaginations and a belief that we can do much more than we are physically capable of doing in a day, week, month, etc.  Generally, we overestimate our capacity by 50%!  From now on, may I suggest that you reduce your plans by at least 50% or more for each day.  Planning for capacity will leave you feeling satisfied instead of disappointed at the end of your day.

A more recent phenomenon is also impacting your capacity and that is isolation.  Not the imposed isolation of the current world pandemic but the isolation of thinking you must do everything by yourself.  The belief that asking for and setting up support makes you appear less than capable.  Again, let me assure you that those beliefs are not true.  Support comes in many forms and learning what forms serve you the best and how to create supportive environments will not just increase your capacity but also your resilience, creativity and joy!

You are doing great!  Remember... reduce your plans by 50%, start creating more support in your environments and the most important part to remember is that you are human and you are enough!

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