If you ever want to get something done that you don’t feel like doing, task yourself to do something else that you don’t feel like doing EVEN MORE.
I’ve been thinking and typing drafts for my next post. Okay, mainly thinking. During this time, I have managed to do the dishes, cook dinner, do the dishes again, complete 3 loads of laundry, bathe my boys and get them to bed. And that is just in the time that I have made myself aware that I didn’t want to sit and type a blog post.
Last week when I set this thing up, I was so excited. I stayed up until 5 AM! I committed to myself that I would post once a calendar week. So, this week is going by and I’ve not posted. Realizing this, I immediately get busy … doing other chores 🙂 And look what I have accomplished today!
Here’s the deal … I don’t just do this with blogging. (Obviously, I just started blogging.) I do this in other areas of my life. Really, all over my life. When I don’t feel like doing anything I have committed to do, I start completing other tasks. Here’s the kicker … I justify it by saying, “Well, I didn’t get THAT done but l did get THIS done! THIS really needed to get done. I did such a great job at THIS!”
Insert anything for THAT … giving genuine attention to my boys … organizing my work … eating healthy meals … spending time with God … an unfinished home project … apologizing for something I did … anything.
Taking action on something else and completing it allows me to justify my lack of responsibility in completing THAT. Let me tell you, it doesn’t feel great. I’d rather live a life in which I do what I committed to do. Even if I only committed it to myself!
The results of completing my original task is far more satisfying than trying to justify anything else. Who cares if the dishes are done if I am walking around with a sense of incompletion? I know enough to know “If mama aint’ happy, no one is happy.” I’m much happier when I honor my word and commitments, especially the ones I made to myself. My family deserves a happy mama.
The good news – I recognize it now. The time I spend doing THIS will become shorter and shorter before getting to the real THAT. I recognize that I usually revert to housework. If I’m avoiding a conversation, completing a task, exercising or whatever else I said I would do, it appears to be a perfect time to get the laundry done! ha!
What does it look like for you? Can you recognize what your life looks like when you are avoiding a situation or not honoring your word to complete a task or project?
