The Secret to Managing your To-Do List without Burning Out

Are you one of those women who feels like your to-do list just never ends?

I know what that’s like!

Here at Ecology, we’re not just all about skin care.

We’re about self care and taking that time out for you …and doing it more often!

(If you haven’t seen the last video yet, definitely watch that one first. 
We talked about the power of taking mindful pauses throughout the day to let some air out of the stress balloon and to help restore your calm with some nice, deep belly breaths)

I’m going to share with you a really great technique to manage your to-do list and help take you from feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and beyond tired …to feeling more productive, calm, and refreshed.

So you can love the life you’re in and live happier in your own skin.

It all comes down to balance.

As busy women, we need to get things done.
We need to look after the kids and family, meet our deadlines, put food on the table, and keep the household running smoothly.

But, we also need to balance this with our own needs …and, to make sure we’re taking time out for ourselves.

…but, most of us just aren’t doing this.

And this is something that I learned the hard way.
Ignoring my body when it was whispering to me to slow down led my body to yell in the form of acne breakouts, eczema flare-ups, bloating, food intolerances, and low energy.

So for me, it was incredibly important to learn to take time out from my to-do list to take care of myself …and I’m certainly not alone with this.

THE SECRET IS TO MATCH YOUR TO-DO LIST WITH SMALL REWARDS

The best technique I’ve learned for managing my to-do list, came from a man by the name of Warrick Merry.

His practice is to match the items on your to-do list with small celebrations or rewards.
These celebrations or rewards will help you to naturally punctuate your day with self care practices.
Those little mindful pauses like deep breathing, sitting in the sun, watching the clouds, or having a cup of tea …that will leave you feeling refreshed, replenished and revitalised.

So, it’s a simple matter of taking your to-do list and dividing it in half …and writing your to-dos on one side, and your celebrations or rewards for ticking them off on the other.

You can think of these rewards like another to-do on your list so you don’t need to feel guilty about them.

You can also match the size of the to-do to the size of the reward. Your celebrations or rewards can be as little as a mindful pause or extended to longer full stops. Like, going for a mindful walk, taking a yoga class, getting a massage, or reading a book.

My Favourite Self Care Reward…

One of my favourite self care rewards is to put some relaxing mineral salts in a foot bath at the end of the day.

It really helps me to wind down before bed …and I celebrate a good week with a full relaxing bath on a Friday night.

Now, I know what you might be thinking… “I don’t have time for this”

…and trust me, I know the feeling.

You’re talking to the girl who bought a 10 visit yoga pass to wind down and destress and didn’t use it because I was too busy.

But what I’ve learned the hard way is that having these timeouts for self care is super important for helping you find some inner calm.
And you’ll actually find yourself being more productive in the long run, because you’re looking forward to that reward. You’ll be more energized to move on to other more difficult or uncomfortable items on your to-do list.

And remember, your to-do list will never be finished.

So, why not make it enjoyable to do those things that need doing.
And if time is super tight, just take a couple of minutes for a mindful pause and remember that a foot bath can take as little as 20 minutes while you’re sitting on the couch with your laptop or catching up with your loved ones.

So, give it a go this week. Divide your to-do list in half and match your to-dos with celebrations or rewards. And tell us how you go in the comments below.

In the meantime, if you liked this video and blog post, please like and comment below. Ask us questions. Tell us what works for you. And if there’s someone, anyone you know, who might need a little bit more calm and self care in their lives, please invite them to watch or read by clicking on the share buttons below.

And remember, you don’t need to try and keep up with anyone else’s amazing looking Insta-life.
You’re one woman, not Super Woman!

Now, I’m really excited to give you the opportunity to
experience our Ecology Self Care products for yourself!

The Special Offer Deets:

For a limited time, when you pick up either a 500g or a 1kg bag of Ecology Replenishing Mineral Salts, you’ll also receive 3 great bonuses that will really help you turn your self care timeouts into habits and rituals. They will leave you feeling calmer, more relaxed, and more focused.

The first bonus is a cute pad of self care sticky notes

As I mentioned in the last video, these cute self care sticky notes are great to put on your bathroom mirror,your fridge, computer …or anywhere as a physical reminder to take time out for yourself

The second bonus is a mindful pause PDF and a guided 3-minute breathing space audio

The 3-minute breathing space is one of the mindful pauses I mentioned in the first video

And the third bonus is a guided relaxation audio

That you can use while you’re soaking in your bath or footbath to help you relax and unwind …even further. It’s like a super boost to your self-care timeout.

Wishing you silky smooth skin,