Tomorrow May Never Come
Do you get things done today… or is tomorrow your routine?
I have a tendency to push things off until the pressure is on and it’s almost too late to finish them.
I will say this about myself, I am excellent under pressure.
However, I’ve noticed a glaring difference between me and my husband.
He is a doer.
If something needs doing, he just does it.
I, on the other hand, may have been influenced a bit too much by my father, who could leave a dead light bulb in a fixture for an entire year before even thinking about changing it.
Needless to say, I didn’t grow up in a household that rushed to tackle the “little things.”
But over time, I’ve noticed a very distinct difference in my own productivity when I choose not to put something off and just get it done.
No matter how big or small the task is, completing it ahead of the absolute deadline creates an atmosphere of progress. And honestly, it takes a huge load off my mind.
Because when I continually push things off, the “to-do” list grows and grows.
And the stress grows right along with it.
I really don’t need to create more stress in my life.
The diamonds are already in progress, so there’s no need to add to it.
Along the way, I’ve started creating small habits that help ease my mind and keep things as they should be.
Simple things like folding the hand towel neatly back across the rack each time I use it.
Or doing the dishes at night instead of waking up to a sink full of gunky mess in the morning.
Most nights after dinner, I’m tired and don’t feel like finishing them before bed. But I’ve learned something important.
Starting the day with a clean kitchen changes my entire mindset.
Instead of waking up to another chore already waiting for me, the day begins with a little sense of order.
And honestly… why would I want to add one more thing to my plate first thing in the morning?
These days, my plate is already full. And when I wait to get something done that could be taken care of now, everything starts spilling onto the floor.
In some cases, my sweet dog Deke is happy to lick up the mess and help out… but unfortunately, my fur baby isn’t able to pick up my slack in most situations.
So how do I combat this tendency that I naturally learned?
I’ve done it before.
But why hasn’t it become my norm?
Because it’s easy not to do it.
Just like I know I should eat healthier…
Or maybe leave certain things off my food intake list, ahem… wine.
The real issue is that I haven’t always created a plan that makes it easier to do the right thing than to avoid it.
And that’s the key.
There are actually many little hacks that make not procrastinating easier than procrastinating.
For example, if you know you need to stretch in the morning before leaving the house, set out your yoga mat and calming music speaker the night before.
When you wake up and see it ready for you, the decision has already been made.
Just seeing that setup makes it 100 times more likely that you’ll follow through.
Or if you want to listen to a podcast on your way to work, queue it up on your phone the night before so it automatically begins when you get in the car.
Your brain naturally resists big, overwhelming tasks.
But it embraces small actions that feel quick and manageable.
So sometimes the real secret is simply starting.
Once you begin something, you’re far more likely to keep going instead of wasting energy dreading it.
For example, if you want to walk in the morning for your health, set your alarm with a pump-up song and place your walking clothes and shoes beside the bed before you go to sleep.
When you wake up, everything is already prepared.
Nothing stands in your way.
All you have to do is start walking.
And when you repeat that enough times, it becomes a habit.
Eventually, it becomes easier to do it than not to do it.
And that’s when the shift happens.
You move from a pattern of waiting…
to a pattern of doing.
And the best part is, you can apply this to almost anything in your life.
So if you’ve been waiting for tomorrow…
You might want to remember something important.
Tomorrow may never come.