In the past few weeks, I have noticed more and more people have the case of the “have to-s”.
The case of the “have to’s” is a feeling that there is so much to be done and so little time to do it. It’s brings a sense of obligation, but not necessarily motivation to complete certain tasks. It is the feeling you might get when you go to a job you hate and do work that you just have to do to get paid.
Yuck!
We have all been there and many of us are there more frequently than not even when we are doing things to help build our vision for the future. I know this because I have been there.
In the past few weeks, my list of “have to-s” seems to have grown. I have emails to send, calls to make, articles and blog posts to write, and appointments to schedule and when the momentum gets moving so quickly and I find myself struggling to catch up, I feel drained, uninspired, and just plain blah!
Have you been there?
I’m sure you have. Heck, you might be there right now, but I assure you, you don’t have to stay there forever. I have found a few things to help a bit when you find yourself dreading all the things you just have to do.
- Take A Break– What??? Yes, I know that your list is as long as your leg and you just don’t have time to take a break, but I assure you, you need it. When things get moving so fast and your head is spinning and you are struggling to complete any one task, you need to take a break. Take 5 minutes and get some fresh air. Close your eyes and do some deep breathing exercises or take a little walk. Whatever you do, just get away from it for a moment so you can come back refreshed. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but it does wonders!
- Change Your Language– Instead of thinking of the things on your list as obligations and things you have to do, reframe them to things you get to do! The words we use have energy in them and “I have to go to work today” feels heavier than ” I get to go to work today”. While you might not think that going to work is a very uplifting thing, there are many benefits you get from going to work, i.e. a paycheck. So, if nothing else, think of the money you ‘get to earn’. A simple change in your words can help change how you feel…true story!
- Passion First– Something I talk about in my newsletter this month is passion vs productivity (if you haven’t signed up for my VIP List, you totally should). Sometimes keeping your inspiration alive is as simple as starting your day with something that feeds your soul. This might be a task you do for your side biz or a bit of writing or craft work. Whatever it is, start the day with something you LOVE to do. It can help your day flow better and turn your ‘have to-s’ into ‘want to-s’.
- Simplify and Be Easy– A question I have had to ask myself many times is, do I really need to do that right this second or have I just set up an unrealistic expectation of myself? Chances are if you are wanting to do 100 things in 24 hours and still sleep and eat etc. you might have overcommitted yourself. Simplify things a bit. So what you wanted to blog 5 days a week and you only have time for 2 this week because you are working on another project. The world isn’t going to end, your readers aren’t going to leave you, and I promise things will be ok. Let some things off your plate and make some doodle space for yourself. Life is far too short to just be busy for busy-sake.
So there you have it! A few tips to help when you are fighting off a case of the ‘have to-s’.