As I've mentioned in this newsletter before, I use the productivity app Todoist. I love it.
But I can't help but get this creeping feeling that no matter how many tasks I check off, I'll never get enough work done to be completely satisfied.
Besides the fact that this is a classic sign of Imposter Syndrome, there's also another factor at play here and that's guilt.
And while there's good forms of guilt (that can be quite motivating) and bad forms of guilt, the bottom line is that guilt stems from a false interpretation of what work is and what it is not.
What work is:
- A way to generate income to support yourself and/or your family
- A way to provide you with a sense of purpose and accomplishment
- An outlet to pursue your passions
What work is not:
- Who we are
- What makes us human
- How we should spend every waking moment
A personal observation and something I'm sure you've experienced, too, is that we're often too hard on ourselves - quick to forget all of the badass things we've achieved and constantly thinking about the next item on our to-do list.
As HBR points out, research from Gabriele Oettingen demonstrates that focusing on the gap between what you have accomplished and what you want to accomplish leads to feelings of dissatisfaction.
Instead, we should focus on our accomplishments both at work and in our personal lives.
Our work is only one small part of what makes us who we are. Prioritize the most important items, celebrate your accomplishments, and stop feeling guilty. Heck, get out there and have some fun.
Until next Friday, Thinkers.
- Brian
P.S. The Age That Women Have Babies: How a Gap Divides America
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