

Important Info
By Leo Babauta
I’ve recently reminded myself of the value of dedicating some time to just clearing things out.
It’s a simple truth that wherever things can accumulate, they will. Emails pile up, clutter piles up, read later list piles up, small admin tasks build up like cruft.
This is the nature of things: they accumulate if we don’t tend to them.
And so, we must tend to them.
What I’ve found valuable is leaving some blocks of time for clearing things out:
- Some space at the end of each day to clear out your email inbox or unread messages in Slack
- A day every week where I read through my read-later list (I use Instapaper) and empty it out
- A day to get to all the small admin tasks that pile up, or a couple of half days
- A time on the weekend for taking care of small chores and repairs that I didn’t have time to get to during the week
- A Sunday weekly review where I make sure all the piles are cleared, my todo and project lists are updated, and everything is in order
These don’t have to take long â an hour, sometimes less. Some things take a few hours.
The problem is that we pack our days with tasks, meetings, calls, and other things so much that we don’t leave spaciousness for tending to our lives. And when we do have some space, we tend to fill it with our favorite distractions.
That’s all fine, but it’s also incredibly helpful to leave some space to tending to our little gardens. Clear out the weeds, take care of things.
The mental health that results from tending to our lives, clearing out piles, and cleaning up messes is incredibly replenishing.
The post Clear Things Out appeared first on zen habits.

Greatinfo thanks a lot I love method
By Leo Babauta
I’ve recently reminded myself of the value of dedicating some time to just clearing things out.
It’s a simple truth that wherever things can accumulate, they will. Emails pile up, clutter piles up, read later list piles up, small admin tasks build up like cruft.
This is the nature of things: they accumulate if we don’t tend to them.
And so, we must tend to them.
What I’ve found valuable is leaving some blocks of time for clearing things out:
- Some space at the end of each day to clear out your email inbox or unread messages in Slack
- A day every week where I read through my read-later list (I use Instapaper) and empty it out
- A day to get to all the small admin tasks that pile up, or a couple of half days
- A time on the weekend for taking care of small chores and repairs that I didn’t have time to get to during the week
- A Sunday weekly review where I make sure all the piles are cleared, my todo and project lists are updated, and everything is in order
These don’t have to take long â an hour, sometimes less. Some things take a few hours.
The problem is that we pack our days with tasks, meetings, calls, and other things so much that we don’t leave spaciousness for tending to our lives. And when we do have some space, we tend to fill it with our favorite distractions.
That’s all fine, but it’s also incredibly helpful to leave some space to tending to our little gardens. Clear out the weeds, take care of things.
The mental health that results from tending to our lives, clearing out piles, and cleaning up messes is incredibly replenishing.
The post Clear Things Out appeared first on zen habits.


Thanks
Do you ever feel like youâre completely overwhelmed with things to do, yet youâre still not doing enough? Maybe you thought youâd be further ahead in life than you are right now, or maybe you have this list in the back of your head of things you *should* be doing.
No matter what, whatever youâre doing doesnât quite seem to be enough. Seeing other people’s successes can trigger this feeling of inadequacy. Setting unrealistic expectations for yourself can also cause this feeling that nothing is ever quite good enough.

Of course, thereâs always room for improvement in our lives, but it feels like a never-ending rat race when youâre constantly chasing the next thing. Itâs overwhelming to feel like you need to do everything.
When you start to feel like you’re not doing enough, itâs easy to overwhelm yourself even more. Feeling like you should or could be doing more only puts more stress on your already heavy shoulders.
In this post, Iâm sharing how Iâve been dealing with this feeling of not doing enough. You’ll also find some practical tips to counter this fear if youâve been feeling the same way.
What Causes the Fear of Not Doing Enough?

Pressure
Though Iâm doing plenty, thereâs always more I think I could or should be doing because thereâs pressure to always be busy. This pressure can manifest itself from internal expectations you set for yourself, as well as those from the outside world, like work, society, relationships, etc.
Family members and friends who have good intentions might say things like, âYou should be doing thisâ or âI saw this person doing this, you should try it too.â
Maybe you feel like youâre not getting any recognition for what youâre doing at work, so you start to think youâre doing something wrong or simply not doing enough. That pressure only adds to the weight of your to-do list.
Something Iâve learned is that I often overwhelm myself more than anything else. A simple check-in helps when I feel overwhelmed. I ask myself, âAm I the one causing this extra stress?â If the answer is yes, I take ownership of the issue and try to take things off my to-do list. If itâs caused by someone else, I ask myself, âHow can I set better boundaries with this person or communicate my needs better?â
Related Post: 5 Tips To Pause Hustle Mode And Slow Down
Comparison
Another reason for feeling inadequate is the comparison game. I often feel like Iâm not doing enough because I compare myself to other people. In reality, whatever I see from other people is a highlight reel, a curated version that they want me to see. Thatâs not necessarily bad because creating (even if itâs sharing your mundane daily life) is an art. Making life seem more interesting is an art.
But I realize that I donât often find myself comparing my life to my close friends and family. I think thatâs because I see their successes, but I also see their struggles. It reminds me that we all have highs and lows.
When I find myself in the comparison trap, I remember that Iâm not seeing the full picture of someoneâs life. Whatever theyâre doing does not affect how well Iâm doing. In reality, theyâre probably comparing themselves to someone else too.
Related Post: 5 Tips For Dealing With Your Inner Critic
Whatever youâre doing is enough. There is nothing more you have to add to your to-do list. Focus less on what you âshouldâ be doing and focus more on what you âneedâ to be doing. You already know what that is deep down.
Perfectionism
Not feeling good enough can also come from perfectionism, even from the most mundane of things. I posted a quote on Instagram the other day and as soon as Iâd posted it, I felt like it wasnât any good. It was literally just a quote on a social media platform. It doesnât matter in the grand scheme of things, but I felt like there was something better I could have posted. Something more meaningful. Something more impactful.
I have to remind myself that even the smallest thing can be meaningful. Having someone comment and say “I needed this reminder today” is enough. The simple act of me sharing something is enough.
Sometimes I have to take a step back and remember that every little step is part of something bigger. Every little step we take contributes to our growth or our decline.
In the book, The Power of Focus, the authors talk about how everything in life is built on tiny little actions. Good friendships flourish from small efforts – sending a text, sharing a meme, or meeting up for coffee. Over time, these little things build a closer relationship. Other relationships dwindle because you stop texting, stop checking in, or get into an argument and donât attempt to smooth it over.
Every little thing youâre doing is adding up to build something greater. This reminds me that the small things Iâm doing- no matter how perfect or imperfect they are – actually are worthwhile. Whatever youâre doing is enough.
3 Tips For When You Feel Behind

When you find yourself thinking âIâm not doing enoughâ, here are a few things that can help:
1. Stop making your to-do list so long. Do fewer things with intention.
When youâre working on a bunch of things at once, you might feel like youâre making progress, but divided attention makes it difficult to actually get ahead. Progress requires dedicated focus.
Stop overwhelming yourself and do fewer things extraordinarily well. If youâre thinking, âBut thereâs so much I could do…how do I know what to focus on?â You know what you need to do deep down. You know what you could do, but what do you need to do? Ask yourself this question often.
Thereâs always something more that could be done, but itâs not always necessary. Focus on whatâs necessary. Focus on what fits into the vision you have for your life, business, career, family, and health.
Related Post: Why You Need To Define Your Top Priorities In Life
2. Set realistic boundaries and expectations for yourself.
You cannot do everything. Be realistic with the amount of time and energy you have to dedicate to things. Whatever youâre doing is already enough.
If you feel like youâre behind, think of what youâve already accomplished in the past year. Think of how youâve changed and grown over the past five years.
Stop comparing your life to everyone elseâs and set expectations you know that you can achieve, regardless of what other people think.
Related Post: 5 Ways To Say No & Stop Over-Committing Yourself
3. Track where your time goes.
If you often get to the end of the week and wonder whether youâve accomplished anything, keep a log of what you do on a daily basis. I tracked my time for a week and saw that I was spending a lot of time on things that werenât even important to me.
Evaluate your time and see where your efforts are going. Youâre going to a) realize youâre doing more than you think and/or b) realize youâre spending your time in the wrong ways. If you think youâre spending it in the wrong ways, mindfully plan your schedule using time blocks based on your top priorities.
Related Post: How to Plan Your Daily Schedule For Success
Your Turn!
Think of one thing youâve been putting consistent effort into lately. How does this add up to something bigger? If you feel like sharing, leave a comment with your answer below!
If you found this post helpful, bookmark or pin it for later so you can revisit it whenever you start to fear that youâre not doing enough.
The post Feel Like You’re Not Doing Enough? Read This. appeared first on The Blissful Mind.
<3method ?
The second date is scheduled and youâre excited â or maybe still a bit anxious. You may feel like you have exhausted your conversation ideas on the first date, but that’s simply not true. You just need to be willing to go a little deeper. Second date topics of conversation allow you to explore each …
Read moreThe 15 Top Questions To Ask On A Second Date
The post The 15 Top Questions To Ask On A Second Date appeared first on Live Bold and Bloom.
I think posts about method are fantastic who agrees?
By Leo Babauta
I’ve recently reminded myself of the value of dedicating some time to just clearing things out.
It’s a simple truth that wherever things can accumulate, they will. Emails pile up, clutter piles up, read later list piles up, small admin tasks build up like cruft.
This is the nature of things: they accumulate if we don’t tend to them.
And so, we must tend to them.
What I’ve found valuable is leaving some blocks of time for clearing things out:
- Some space at the end of each day to clear out your email inbox or unread messages in Slack
- A day every week where I read through my read-later list (I use Instapaper) and empty it out
- A day to get to all the small admin tasks that pile up, or a couple of half days
- A time on the weekend for taking care of small chores and repairs that I didn’t have time to get to during the week
- A Sunday weekly review where I make sure all the piles are cleared, my todo and project lists are updated, and everything is in order
These don’t have to take long â an hour, sometimes less. Some things take a few hours.
The problem is that we pack our days with tasks, meetings, calls, and other things so much that we don’t leave spaciousness for tending to our lives. And when we do have some space, we tend to fill it with our favorite distractions.
That’s all fine, but it’s also incredibly helpful to leave some space to tending to our little gardens. Clear out the weeds, take care of things.
The mental health that results from tending to our lives, clearing out piles, and cleaning up messes is incredibly replenishing.
The post Clear Things Out appeared first on zen habits.
