It has been back to the mill this week. Torrential rains, back to school, and back to work – summer is well and truly over.
Now, with a long list of things to do and deadlines to juggle, it really got me thinking about how to manage it all.
Admittedly, it can sometimes feel a little overwhelming… and by counting up all the tasks that need to be done, estimating the time needed, and adjusting for deadlines… it just doesn’t seem to help. I mean, no matter how I add it up, I can never seem to get 2+2 to equal 3.
This can be the same at home too: a long list of tasks you need to get done, some you want to get done, and only the two days over the weekend to do it.
Yet somehow, by writing a list, focusing on the next task, and working away, time seems to extend like magic. The list gets done, and there is even some time for a cup of tea and a sit down.
I am not quite sure why this is.
My prime suspect is probably the brain’s tendency to overestimate the actual time you need to get something done. It seems like we always err on the side of caution.
This behaviour is, of course, the sibling to the brain’s other predisposition — grossly underestimating the time for someone else to do something… now, I didn’t say the brain was logical!
Of course, looking at actual data can help working out what is reality… but most of the time I am not measuring how long it takes to unstack the dishwasher or put out the bins (I know you shicking isn’t it), so I just have to rely on gut instinct.
The same is, of course, true at work. The time you think you need is often much more than the time you are given… pressing deadlines, anyone? With a building to-do list, anxiety can quickly build.
But, it is good to remember at this point that the mind can play tricks, and many times, by writing a list and plugging away, you can pull it off. It is not the time gods or magic, although can feel like it… it is however, repeatable.
Now, this is no reason to throw caution to the wind and be silly – there are limits (the repaving the patio in the evening can wait!).
However, as we start to pick up speed through the second half of the year, this can be a source of comfort… we can actually get it all done.
And it’s a good thing too – with all the rain, the grass will now start growing again, so that is another thing on the list now too.
Have a good week, all.
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