Inside: see how making an un-do list can you help to focus and de-stress. Includes a free printable workbook and step by step guide.
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Ask a mom what causes her stress, and she'll often say she needs more time.
More time with the kids, more time to get things done, more time for herself, more time with her spouse... you get the idea.
But is more time really the answer?
As I've embarked on a journey toward minimalism with our family I have found that as we learned to let go and start looking for less, a huge weight was lifted from our shoulders.
I have always been the kind of person who needs to write things down. Whenever I'm trying to solve a problem, I start with a list. I could fill my entire life with to-do lists, and I’ve always been a huge fan of them. But with all the things I need to juggle, I sometimes find myself more stressed after making a list than when I started.
That's when I decided that the list I really needed was an un-do list.
What is an Un-Do List?
A to-do list is a collection of all the things we want to accomplish. This could be purchases we want to make, things we hope to do, or things we need to get done. We make these lists to help motivate us to get things done and hopefully accomplish the task we set out to do. An un-do list works just the same way, with one small difference.
Instead of making a list of things you want to do or get done, you are making a list of things that you want to stop doing.
An undo list is a way to look at how we fill our days and determine which habits are causing us stress, and how can we avoid them.
An un-do list for me will look very different than one for you. An un-do list serves the simple purpose of helping you do less of the things that don’t matter and what causes you stress, so you can do more of what you love.
How Do I Make an Un-Do List?
If you have never made an un-do list, the concept might feel very foreign to you. Let me help walk you through the process.
First, take a step back and see how you are actually spending your time (I have a great plan to help you do this here).
See which of these things are causing you the most stress with the least reward. You may find that you want to stop:
- Filling up every weekend with scheduled activities and obligations
- Taking on too many tasks, especially ones you don’t enjoy doing
- Spending time scrolling mindlessly on social media or online
These are just examples. Everyone's day looks different, so you need to figure out where your personal roadblocks lie.
Then choose your top 3 un-do goals and write them down. Grab my free printable workbook to give you a place to do this.
Once you've chosen your top 3 goals, write down one action step that will help you reach each one. For example, if you want to limit your time on social media, an action step could be setting a timer on your phone for certain apps.
Repeat this exercise as many times as you need to help you achieve your goals. Be sure to grab the free workbook to help you along!
How an Un-Do List Can Help You De-Stress
One of the main causes of stress in our daily lives is overbooking ourselves and creating a system where we are always “on the go.” We sign up for too many activities and too many time commitments, but feel like we can’t get rid of any of them.
An un-do list helps you identify these problem areas so you can make a list of things you want less of. If you want to stop a behavior, then your un-do list is a place to make that dream into something tangible. If you want to finally get your home and life organized, put it on the list!
Grab your FREE printable Un-do list here. You can resize this to fit any planner, including my favorite Happy Planner.
FREE
Creating an un-do list will allow you to take the time to realize what is holding you back from where you want to be. Using this list, you can take control of your time and identify the areas that are stressing you out. And once you're ready to move forward, be sure to check out all of my organizing tips here.
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