Do you feel like you aren’t doing enough?
For many years I have been followed by the thought ‘I’m not doing enough’. How much is enough to feel like I am doing enough? This thought has bothered me for the longest time of my adulthood. When I used to see my colleagues or former flatmates performing various activities and tasks in a day, I wondered how they could accomplish them in such little time. That probably needed a different level of discipline & dedication.
The aftermath was that I used to feel even worse. I started doing half-baked tasks & chores, jumped from one task to another with an open loop, and stopped taking breaks in between out of the guilt that I was not doing enough. For heaven’s sake, that was draining.
In this digital era, it is also easy to be distracted by the amount of text messages, emails & conversations that we receive & send. The necessity to respond quickly sets away our focus from the main work or task. The hyperactive hive mind as stated by Cal Newport turns active and they sum up to the thought & feeling of not doing enough.
- Acknowledge your feelings
- At work, when I used to receive emails or Slack messages, there used to be an instant urge to respond. In meetings, there used to be self-inflicted pressure to be on top of the conversations. In the middle of work, browsing through Facebook posts or scrolling through WhatsApp messages, made everything even worse. That feeling of not doing enough reflected in each and everything I was doing.
- I started thinking about why I needed to rush back to respond, why I needed to keep going from one meeting to another without a break, and why I needed to finish all the household chores on the same day. That changed everything for me.
- Like what would happen if I decided to de-prioritize a few things or pause a few activities? The sun will still be out, the earth will still keep moving and my work will still be running. The essential part is to acknowledge what you feel and how you can change them.
2. Make units of your task
- Trying to finish a task in one go without estimating their effort & time would lead to stress & burnout. For example, in the past, I used to go cleaning the entire house thinking I needed to finish them all in one go. I even used to start a research project thinking I needed to finish them all in a day. But that pressure just made me burn out.
- However, when I started making units of these same tasks i.e., breaking them down into different units and completing one unit at a time, I felt less stressed. It enabled my routine to be more efficient and balanced. Even while writing this blog, I drafted them in different units before publishing.
3. Practise mindfulness
- Let’s say you are indulged in a simple activity like walking or reading a book. Suddenly, your brain reminds you to throw out the trash or clean that bookshelf. There might be a sudden urge to move on to that task. However, you should remind yourself to live in that moment and let go of that thought in the moment. Ask yourself if clearing out the trash or cleaning that bookshelf is the most pressing task to be completed. Or can they be handled later? The only thing that matters is to be in that moment!
- Slow down — it is ironic to say in this fast-moving world. Yet you need to take your time out for your favorite hobby or activity that you enjoy. Slow down, take a deep breath, observe everything, and just let yourself be in that moment.
4. Indulge in a guilt-free break
- Yes, you read that right. Give your brain some space and break from anything that would trigger such self-inflicted pressure. Go on a walk outside, write down your thoughts, listen to your favorite album, cook something special for yourself, or just take a nap. Do anything that helps you connect with your inner child and makes you happy.
In a world full of to-do lists and productivity, allow yourself to break free from the list well. Keep that list empty and just engage in activities that allow you to rest and heal.
Creating an inner sense of self-acknowledgment, practicing mindfulness, and taking breaks are important to wrapping up the thoughts of not doing enough. Enough is enough!
Take smaller steps to practice. Be kind to yourself and proud of yourself. You, me & we are not robots but just humans alive for a beautiful life.
