Teachings from a Target run
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I never know when, where, and how inspiration will strike for my weekly newsletter. The only thing that surprised me this week is that it took me this long to write about Target. So here goes.
I dropped and broke my laundry drying rack the other day. My immediate reaction was: "AGH! This means I have to go to Target. Like, today. When am I going to do that?!" (You see, I'm a bit of a crazy lady who air dries approximately 88% of the clothes I wash. But I'll spare you the details.)
I immediately started letting my husband know I was in no mood to go to Target nor did I want to make time for it. I griped: "Well, I guess I have to fit a Target trip on my to-do list today." Five minutes later: "I'm not sure when I'm going to finish this other stuff because now I have to go to Target." Exasperated -- and rightfully so -- he said: "Jenn. Aren't you always talking about time management?!"
<Crickets.>
I said nothing and let that marinate for a bit. Because of course, he was right. What was really going on? As I white-knuckled my way to (and through) Target later that day, I figured it out. I figured I'd share it here in case some of it resonates with you, too:
The red bull's eye was actually a red flag. It doesn't take a genius to figure out my reaction had nothing to do with Target. Getting set off by an errand or something small is likely not about that Thing. That day, it was about me falling back into a dirty little habit: I tend to de-prioritize self-care and burn the candle at both ends when things get busy. Time to stop substituting work for early morning work-outs AND using my reading time at night to work. No wonder the drying rack was the straw that broke the camel's back. It was a clear signal that I needed to get realistic about my to-do list and not fall into the trap of thinking "more time to work" makes me more productive. Self-care is non-negotiable.
Keep it in neutral. Let's face it. Adulting is hard. We have to do a lot of stuff we don't want to do, whether it's bringing in the trash cans when it's pouring rain or completing a self-assessment at work. Instead of getting worked up over tasks that simply have to get done, it's a lot easier to accept that sometimes we have to adult. We can then remain neutral -- neither excited out of joy nor aggravation -- and spend our mental energy on something else.
Time (mis)management isn't just about me. My unnecessary overwhelm over too many things to do does not impact only me. My husband had to hear about it and it impacted his day and mood. Not to mention, I realized my comments suggested that I somehow thought my time was more valuable than his -- or anyone else who had something to do that day. Cringe! That's certainly not true, but definitely a bad look. If I needed any more incentive to right the ship, that was certainly it.
The thing is, he was right. I'm constantly speaking and writing about productivity, time management, and valuing self-care. But sometimes the teacher becomes the student and this was one of those days. Not to mention, you know I preach about allowing ourselves to be vulnerable to show up authentically. So, I'm happy to share my own teachable moments, too.
Oh, and I'm also learning that I can put more stuff in the dryer. You promise those socks won't shrink though?!
Target run and done!
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