As the title states, working towards tomorrow feels like there’s no off days. Any advice?
My specific industry is web based so hours in don’t always equal positive reinforcement out
You can always reframe your goals and set reasonable expectations for yourself. People often use “It’s a marathon, not a race” as a metaphor for achieving long term goals. I think this metaphor sucks because a marathon is still kind of a race. Achieving your goals is more like putting coins in a piggybank. You will only be able to put in so many coins each day. And some days you will have no coins to give. But that doesn’t mean you didn’t put any coins in yesterday nor that you won’t put coins in tomorrow. Be kind to yourself and know that you will get there eventually. Growth is not about intensity, It’s about consistency.
I really appreciate this metaphor of coins going in, helps frame things a bit differently
And sometimes time off is an investment in yourself that will enable you to invest in your goal more efficiently / effectively when you get back to it.
consistency is probably not the word you’re looking for based on your explanation. likely persistence.
One observation was very enlightening to me:
No one is responsible for the proper balance in your life but you. Not your boss, not your spouse, not your children, not your friends. Only you.
And it’s truth. You can work 5 jobs, care about everything and everyone, then get a stroke and die. And the world won’t end because of that. So you absolutely have to find the space and time for some improvement. No “buts”.
…reducing the time online is a good idea.
I remind myself of several things: progress is cumulative; it has inertia, meaning that it takes a while to ramp up, but also doesn’t stop immediately when my attention waivers; and success is a spectrum.
Do what you can when you can. Don’t worry about what you’re not doing at every moment - focus those thoughts on planning blocks.
Your normal day should be set up to knock out your task list. And once a week or so, you can sit down to determine what new tasks are needed to support your long term goals.
It may sound obvious but reduce your goals. You can only do so much and if you have set your goals too high you’ll always feel like you’re trailing behind them.
Think of it like a marathon. You can’t run an endurance run without taking care of your body. That involves maintenance. Taking a day off, taking a break, taking care of yourself is part of you going the distance. Also, break down your main goal into smaller, more attainable goals. And put breaks between those smaller goals.
Very fair and a great way to look at things, appreciate the advice. Definitely easier said than done but it makes sense
Start by writing down your main goal. Try to make it as concise as possible (use a pencil, it’s easier to feel it less permanent). Then put bullet points under on what it consists of. What steps you need to do (doesn’t matter the order). Then when you’re done, stand up, stretch, and go for a walk. Yoo already did a lot and deserve a reward for yourself.
Also I think of tasks as adult points. When you have enough adult points you can spend them towards something for yourself. (A break, a movie, a walk, a desert, whatever you want). Like that it gives you a motivation to work and a good reason to relax without guilt.
