To-do vs Ta-done

Let's start with some honesty: there are days, sometimes several in a row, that I just don't want to do anything. I am lacking in desire and motivation and just taking care of the bare minimum of basics leaves me feeling drained at the end of the day.

There was a season in my life when I underestimated the value of taking care of me and during that time when these slumps hit they would essentially disable me. I would say I wasn't simply dysfunctional but rather I was non-functioning. I chose to shut down (actually in those moments it sure didn't feel like I had a choice, it was shut down or break down). I found myself drifting through the days not accomplishing anything and certainly not contributing positively to my family. I would shush the little voices calling out for their mommy, I would do anything to avoid intimacy of any type with my husband, I would turn down any invitations that would have me interacting with others because when I was in these slumps I would get overly critical and emotionally beat myself up and I didn't want anyone to see my weakness so I hid.

Eventually, I would dig out, often worse for wear, by remembering that I wasn't in it alone and I had a mighty Father who was still fighting for me even when I had quit. After a while I started to recognize the cycle and was able to identify the red flags. Being aware in the early stages has allowed me to side-step that dark pit of despair on many occasions and having a recovery plan has helped me not to dwell in the darkness when I do fall. 

I would like to share one of my techniques with you. If you are a list person, perhaps you can identify with me. I am organized, detail oriented, and I love lists. I write lists for everything: groceries, chores, phone calls to make, emails to send, appointments to book, things I want too read, packing lists, reminders lists...you get the idea. I have even been known to write a list of my lists so I could keep track of what I had lists going for. Crazy right? Well it was this very organization that for the most part helped me to be highly functional that ultimately would send me spiralling downward. 

All it would take was one busy day where I didn't get to check things off my to-do list and the negative self talk would begin. I would tell myself I wasn't good enough and use my unfinished to-do list as evidence, nevermind the fact that my list was highly over ambitious and no typical person would have been able to get it all done.

So, here is my tip to you, or at least this is something I have found that helps me. I still write crazy to do lists but now as soon as I get an inkling of feeling overwhelmed I stop and write out a different sort of list. I call it my Ta-done list and just like the name implies this is where I write down all I have gotten done. This includes all the mundane daily tasks too like getting up and dressed, actually doing my hair, feeding the kids...any and everything little or big task I got done gets a place on my Ta-done list. This simple act helps me to focus on what I did do, even if it wast on one of my other lists to cross out. I did it, it counts.

Next time you are feeling overwhelmed, challenge yourself to focus on the Ta-dones, or other accomplishments and take heart that God sees even the littlest of these things and can use it for His glory.