Comments on: What’s YOUR very next thing?

By: Pangaea, Pangaea Interior Design

Pangaea, Pangaea Interior Design — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:00:18 +0000

I see this was posted awhile ago, but I seem to be led to your blog postings at exactly the right time. Today I am spinning with several “to-do” items that all seem equally urgent. So how to pick what’s NEXT when they all seem to be of the same importance?

My husband put it beautifully the last time I got like this. He said, “well if they are all equally important, then it really doesn’t matter. Just pick whichever one you feel like doing right now and do that!”

Now my next thing to learn seems to be not beating up on myself for the things that slid while I was finishing another task. Like my newsletter which is a week late because I was upholstering chairs for a job. I just need to be thankful I got the job done – move on to the newsletter – and not panic about the other to-do’s.

Thanks so much for your inspiration!

By: jennifer

jennifer — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 03:10:57 +0000

Oo! I love this, Meredith! One hole at a time. One swing at a time. I don’t play golf, but it’s such a beautiful, evocative, green image of sanity. Thank you so much for sharing it!

By: Meredith from Penelope Loves Lists

Meredith from Penelope Loves Lists — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:49:10 +0000

I have been thinking so much about this very topic lately. I was talking to my daughters golf coach and he was telling me that his favorite thing about golf is that it forces you to play just one hole at a time.

I don’t play golf, but I thought that was a great analogy to think about when I feel overwhelmed. Thanks for this post!

By: jennifer

jennifer — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:58:47 +0000

Great stuff. It certainly is a simple idea – and hard to implement. Sometimes when I catch myself in the mental spin of overwhelm I remember to ask, “Okay, whats the one next thing?” Not alwasy, but it sure helps.

Thanks for the great comments!

Sandy – Wow. Brava.

Lori – You’re welcome. I’m glad to know the overwhelm is abating – if slowly.

Kate – Congrats on your move! Sorting is such a great thing to do once you’ve landed. You can sometimes *feel* whether things belong in your new space or not. I’m cheering you on!

By: Kate

Kate — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:53:08 +0000

How funny to see this on Twitter via Jen Louden–and it’s a home office site. I’m in the process of finishing up my office today after moving into this house a month ago. That’s my “next thing.” I’m currently sorting through old cards and letters and deciding what to keep and what to put in the keepsake box.

By: Lori Paximadis

Lori Paximadis — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:21:21 +0000

This is so true. It’s been a whole year of overwhelm for me, and I’ve finally gotten to a place where I can take care of some long-term things that have been hanging over my head all year. But more overwhelm: where to begin?

Thank you for the one thing at a time reminder.
.-= Lori Paximadis´s last blog ..Best of 2009: Place =-.

By: Sandy Dempsey

Sandy Dempsey — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:26:20 +0000

Great reminder to look just at what’s in front of you. It was how I was able to finally start living my dreams this year.
Simple, but elegant again, Jen, Thanks!
.-= Sandy Dempsey´s last blog ..What’s in a Name? =-.

By: Debra Marrs

Debra Marrs — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 06:04:08 +0000

Oh, yeah, this was super timely post for me to "get" today. Thanks, Jen. .-= Debra Marrs´s last blog ..An Essential Book for Writers – How Stories Work =-.

By: jennifer

jennifer — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:07:35 +0000

Sonia – Lists rock. Not only do they help me remember, they also allow me to let it go. Once it’s written down, I don’t have to mentally track it – I can just look at the list.

By: Sonia Connolly

Sonia Connolly — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:59:17 +0000

"One step at a time" is definitely a mantra in my life. Sometimes my first step is to make a list, so that I can quit worrying about what I might be forgetting. Thanks for the sanity-saving reminder! Sonia's latest article Compassion for the Drama Triangle