Do you tell yourself this lie? Things will slow down next month. Life will be less crazy after mid-terms. I’ll have more time in the summer. Once I get through this project, my schedule will smooth out at work. Next week, things will be less crazy. Lies, all lies.

Lies we tell ourselves about time

I’ve published an article each day this month to keep you inspired to make organizing progress. I get bored talking about bins and stacks all the time, so hopefully we end up with a good mix of technology, life skills, and eye candy here. But we haven’t talked much about time yet.

Organizing time is a make-or-break skill.

This one phrase is the telltale lie that signals trouble. 

“Just up ahead, my calendar really opens up.”

That’s what you tell yourself now, but when next week, next month, next season arrives, somehow your calendar has gotten jammed packed and unmanageable. Again.

Because you live in constant-crazy mode, you don’t have time for things or people you enjoy, and you always feel guilty.

You aren’t alone.

We live in a world with too many choices. Too many distractions. Too many gadgets.

But the solution to this time problem isn’t wishing.

The solution isn’t some new gadget.

The solution to being less crazy tomorrow is being in the moment today.

Deciding to decide what is important.

We can’t do it all. And if we’re already pushing the envelope, burning all the ends of the candle, there’s nothing left when our calendar gets interrupted by illness, accidents, bad weather, or a true busy cycle at work.

We can’t do it all. You can’t do it all. Neither can I.

When we constantly try to do it all, say yes to everyone and everything, the calendar never clears up, we never get less busy, and we’re always crazy!

The first step of recovery is admitting there’s a problem.

Reading this article isn’t going to fix this problem.

What can we do? We can recognize when we say any version of that deadly phrase…next week, things will be less crazy.

It’s B.S.

It’s not serving us.

It’s a lie.

Unless you don’t want it to be a lie any longer.

You can be in control of a less crazy tomorrow.

There are many paths to peace, and one step on your path might be seeing this lie for what it is.

Another important step is to transform your calendar into a planner and start looking at life backwards. 

Does this strike a chord with you?