Have you completed 18,519 tasks in a day only to find out you haven’t really accomplished anything? This is how I feel on most days. There’s no doubt I do A LOT most days, but did I do what God has gifted me to do, did I do what I am passionate about? (Yes, I know there are some things we really just have to do, but I’m talking things beyond our usual responsibilities.)
To-Dos + What-Ifs
There is no shortage of resources, blog posts, articles, books, tips/tricks/hacks, for exhausted worn-out moms who are just trying to do their best. Kids are staying alive at the end of the day, so yay, good job! But then thoughts like these follow: “Am I doing enough? Should I enroll them in another sport in addition to the 3 they already participate in? We should grow our own garden so we can have organic homegrown fresh food to go with the homemade pasta I make. That playroom on Pinterest seems like a great organized space to host playdates, much better than under the kitchen table where everyone usually plays.” Okay, so maybe we don’t have these exact thoughts, but similar ones because mom-guilt or FOMO (fear of missing out) or the “what-ifs” or we want to give our kids what we didn’t have growing up, and so many other reasons.
Urgent vs. Important vs. Where He’s Leading
Motherhood has always had its challenges, and they have changed over time, but they are still there and I feel like extra layers have been added with the development of technology and social media, just to name a few. Here’s what I’m learning, this is grace and there are goals. In certain seasons, there is grace upon grace. (But let’s remember not to use that as an excuse.) I’ve already heard it from many people that goals are too restrictive and/or legalistic at times. But what if we prayerfully consider our plans? What if we truly seek out what God has for our lives, have these goals, but not hold too tightly to them to move where He leads? If I run around here and there all day long without direction, I will become lost. I don’t believe that is how we are to live…or how He wants us to live. Here are some different “what-ifs” – what if those 18,519 tasks are urgent tasks, or what if some of them are really important but they could have been done by someone else and I missed using my gifts to do only what I can do, or what if…
Your Turn
I have a few more reflections on this topic, but I’d love to know…
What do you think about tasks and accomplishments?
FOMO has become a problem for me. I need to step back, reevaluate and be still so I can truly focus on what God wants me to do. Overloading actually makes me feel stressed and overwhelmed. My goal is to grow deeper in my faith and closeness to God.
I used to plan everything and hold onto those plans tightly. Being a mother has helped me to learn to hold plans more loosely as well as to intentionally choose to plan nothing so that we can be free to just spend time together as a family. The Lord is still teaching me (it can be hard to let the dishes sot when a child wants to play) and it’s always more amazing when I allow my day to be directed by God instead of myself.
I have started writing my task list down or I forget them. It feels good and I feel like I have accomplished something when I get to cross them off as I get them done.