There’s something about checking items off a to-do list that gives me a little dopamine hit. Even if it’s the simplest task on the list, I still feel a sense of accomplishment, and it gives me a sometimes desperately needed boost of confidence that helps me keep plugging away at the rest of the list. That’s why, no matter how silly or small, I celebrate every win.
Do you write to-do lists? Do you make schedules that work as a sort of to-do list? Is your list in your head? Take a long look at how you classify and break down tasks. You can, without even realizing it, set yourself up for more of a mental and emotional grind than you need to. I’ll give you an example. I could write a to-do list that looks like this:
- Finish draft one of the zombie novel.
- Post on both socials.
- Clean my room.
They’re larger, more daunting tasks (yes, my room gets that bad on busy weeks!) that are actually made up of many smaller tasks. Breaking it into smaller steps, organizing it into the most effective order, and keeping track of each step becomes all mental work. Almost instantly, I feel overwhelmed by the number of details to keep up with, and my interest and drive to complete the tasks lags.
On the other hand, you could write a to-do list that looks like this:
- Write chapter 25 of the zombie novel.
- Jot down a detailed outline for chapter 26 (the final chapter!).
- Shoot the video clip for my running Instagram.
- Use Canva to create the blog post announcement graphic.
- Throw the laundry in as soon as I get home.
- Take all my running shoes out of the car.
- Clear my desk.
- Take out the trash.
There are way more things on this list than the first one, but it has now broken three larger tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. The details of each one are clear. I have a good idea how long each of these will take me. And I’ll be able to check things off the list as I go, showing me a clear progression of the work.
If you’ll only accept huge accomplishments as “wins,” you’ll find that you don’t get many wins, and you don’t get to celebrate as often. This probably seems like nitpicking far too much for something as simple as your daily tasks, but don’t underestimate the fatigue the daily slog can have on you mentally and emotionally.
We want to be here, doing what we love, for a good time and a long time. So, celebrate every win, big or small, and keep grinding.
