“A chicken scratch of time and tasks…to map out my fate…”

That is a quote from an Emily Kinney song. The song doesn’t have anything to do with what I’m about to write about today, but this particular line does. 

I’m pretty sure every one of us has made a list of goals, or just menial things that need to be completed. New Year’s Resolutions, to-do lists, scheduling activities…all of these fall into this category. And while I’m guessing, I can imagine these were not neatly written out, but rather scribbled down on a scrap of paper, an old envelope, or at the bottom of a bill that needs to be paid. 

This is how we plan our time. It’s how we remind of ourselves of the ‘top priority’ things that need to be done. And it’s how we commit (or attempt to commit) to changing our lives for the better. We create goals – no matter how small (i.e. Laundry, empty dishwasher) or large (travel to a new country, start a blog) – and we get a feeling of satisfaction from being able to put that line through the task we just accomplished (start a blog). And this is how it goes, day by day. All of these tasks and lists and schedules boil down to our top priorities; and they add up to where we’re heading in life.

But how many of these certain tasks are really a priority? How many are done bregrudgingly or out of obligation? 

How many are done mindfully – slowly, to take it all in? And most importantly: how many actually make you happy?

For me, most of those tasks on the daily to-do lists are obligatory. But the list of goals that I make at the beginning of the year, separated by category, make me really look at the path my life is taking. Some challenge me; others are purely for enjoyment. For example:

This list focuses mostly on things I’d like to accomplish in life or areas I want to improve. My to-do lists look much different – but probably much like anyone else’s… Laundry, vacuum, clean shower, etc. 

But why should so much of our time be taken up by things we don’t want to do or don’t enjoy? What if you didn’t vacuum today, and instead had a cup of tea and started a new book? Maybe just sit quietly for a moment, close your eyes and take a deep breath. Nurture yourself. 
We don’t often do that though, do we? When we do have those few quiet moments – in between activities, or work duties, or to-do list tasks – what do most of us fill them with? Mindless scrolling of social media, channel surfing, noise. 

Ask yourself, how often do I take time to do something for myself? Something that makes me happy? Something that makes me feel good? And if it’s not often…well, why not? We all need that time to recharge and take care of ourselves. If you don’t take care of yourself first, you won’t be your best when it comes time to take care of others. That to-do list can wait. Do something to better yourself instead. Maybe not every day, but once in a while. Or even, stick that on your to do list! “Take care of me.” And see how much better you feel when you are able to cross that off each day. Remember, every timeblock you schedule, every task you aim to complete, and every single thing your prioritize is mapping out your future. If you took a good hard look at those lists right now, do you want to go where they are taking you months down the line? 

If not, I would definitely recommend taking some time and writing out a list of goals. The categories I use are: Mind, Body, Finances, Social, Career, Health, and Miscellaneous. Feel free to make up your own. And then write as many goals or desires you have for each area of your life. It doesn’t matter if you don’t complete all of them. There have been a good handful of things I have listed as “re-goals.” These are things that I still have not gotten around to doing, but definitely still interest me. Some have reappeared over the course of a few years. I’m not giving up on them. One day it will make me happy to cross them off that list.

I’d love to hear any of your goals or “me time” rituals in the comments below. How is your fate being mapped out?

Thanks for reading!