On a recent Sunday, several of the ladies in my church showed up early and we found ourselves chatting about how many of us had to make a list so we didn’t forget things we needed to do! We laughingly chalked it up to ageing! Although men may not talk about it, many of them too may resort to making a reminder list!
The good news is that there is NOTHING wrong with making a list so you don’t forget anything. It’s no different than following a recipe so you don’t leave out any of the ingredients – OR – making a grocery list so you don’t have to make a second trip for what you may have neglected to buy. You are simply mapping out what needs done, being efficient and trying to manage your time better so that you accomplish something.
We live in a fast-paced world today with an overload of responsibilities packed into our days. I call them “monkeys on our back” …. things that are important enough to not be overlooked, and maybe we are guilty of packing too many monkeys on our backs, which can make it a little overwhelming. At least when we make a list, it may help us to focus on needed tasks and set goals to achieve them. It’s better to make the list than to take it to bed with us with the fear we might forget something; then we stay awake half the night worrying about it.
Our chat group also noted that many of us don’t sleep as well as we used to, and again, we chalked that up to a part of ageing as well. But after doing some reading about this, I came to the conclusion that resorting to list-making does NOT mean you are an old person experiencing mental decline!
Perhaps we are being too tough on ourselves. Listen, even younger folks may struggle to manage their busy schedules and numerous obligations.
We can’t expect our brain to keep track of everything for us because the brain also gets tired; it’s called cognitive fatigue, which occurs when the brain has prolonged periods of intense mental activity. It needs a break too! Much like how our muscles may get weary and sore when we overexert ourselves, so does the brain demand energy and when it runs low and tires, it affects our mental functions, our attention span, our concentration and memory.
So it’s a good idea to make those lists. Let your brain know that you’ve written down tomorrow’s tasks and it can relax and rejuvenate overnight. Both you and your brain will be focusing better as your new day begins.
So take the monkeys off your back at bedtime and allow both your body AND mind to rest. Calm your environment at night; enjoy the silence or some soft music. Close your eyes, consciously take deep breaths, and practice easing all parts of your body, starting at the top with your forehead and neck and work your way down to your toes.
Pleasant dreams!
Quote of the week: “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including YOU!” ~ Anne Larnott