How do you readjust when taking a needed break for yourself, that wasn’t on the schedule?
Because sometimes your husband takes a day off when *he* needs to, but you couldn’t afford to skip everything on your own schedule.
But you did.
And now, you have to pick up the (productivity) pieces.
How do you cram a multi-day to-do list into a single day?
(I’ll give you a hint: you don’t.)
Instead, here are 3 strategies you can use next time this happens to you.
Number one, allow for these “nothing days” every so often on the schedule, so you don’t get thrown off next time.
Number two, triage all the work you didn’t do – plus what’s waiting for you – and quickly make a new to-do list of the top priority stuff (only as much as will fit in your next work day). That way you’re getting to what’s most important first upon re-entry.
Number three, don’t be afraid to ask for help (i.e., babysitting), work a little longer next week, or do some unplanned overtime just to catch yourself up (if it’s really bothering you that you didn’t get that work done on vacation).
What’s most important here is to soothe what feels pressing to you. So is it the undone work, or is it the pressure to get all of that done?
Only you can decide – and that’s going to be the right way for you to approach this. Release, or get it done.
