I’ll Do it Tomorrow by Stephanie Nickel

Please excuse me while I do a little self-reflection. Who knows? You may even be able to relate.

Since coming back from holidays, the following items have been on my I’ll Do It Tomorrow List:

• I’ll stop watching so much TV.
• I’ll stop checking email and Facebook constantly.
• I’ll start the day with prayer, Bible study, and exercise.
• I’ll prepare a meal plan—and stick to it.
• I’ll get back to editing and writing daily.
• I’ll stop waiting for inspiration and devote myself to the creative task at hand as I would any other.
• I’ll stop giving in to my adult ADD tendencies.

And here is how I intend to go about making Monday my Tomorrow:

• Start each day with prayer, Bible study, exercise, and a healthy breakfast.
• Put out meat to thaw in the morning.
• Check email and social networks before I start work, during my lunch break, and after my workday is over.
• Devote each day to one or two paying projects.
• Write a devotional for HopeStreamRadio and one or two blog posts each day. Scatter these projects throughout the day after I’ve completed one- or two-hour sessions on a paying project.
• Read either fiction or nonfiction 30-60 minutes each day.
• Cross something off my Procrastination List each week.
• Watch TV only with my family. Watch only one episode of Switched at Birth each day.
• Odd as it may sound, I must also practice stillness. It seems my thoughts are always flitting from one to the next to the next. Too often this means I leave a project undone. I don’t always have to be doing something, but when I am, I must be disciplined enough to stick with it.

How You Can Make Today Your Tomorrow

• Create a list of priorities.
• As much as possible, plan your To Do List to reflect those priorities.
• Whenever possible, complete the day’s tasks in order of priority. If that isn’t possible, at least do so in order of importance. Sometimes an externally imposed responsibility (i.e.: a project for work) or an unforeseen circumstance can reprioritize your day.
• Be willing to do a little self-reflection of your own. Too much can make us self-centred and that’s not a good thing. But too little and we’ll just keep plugging along without any real sense of direction or accomplishment.

TWEETABLE

Don’t beat yourself up if your day doesn’t go as planned. After all, tomorrow really is a new beginning. (tweet this)

Read other articles by Stephanie

18 Little Victories Worth Celebrating

Setting Yourself up for Success

How do we Make Healthy Changes?

Steph Beth Nickel is an author, a freelance editor and writer, a labour doula, and a former personal trainer. She’d love to connect with you on Facebook or Twitter, on her website or blog.