You Asked, They Answered: What Do You Do When You've Completed Everything On Your To-Do List?

Jun 23

In this week's You Asked, They Answered, we wanted to know what our Stylebook contributors do on those rare occasions they have completed everything on their to-do lists. Yes, we recognize this is a near impossibility, but work with us here. The answers might surprise you. Here are their responses:

Alicia: I jump on a float and reflect, dissect, and ultimately disconnect!

Meaghan F: Make another list... just kidding. I curl up with a book! If my son is in the same room as me, he will often climb into my lap and ask me to read to him, but let's be honest - I really crave just reading by myself with no one TOUCHING me.

Shruti: I'm really bad at to-do lists. Planning sessions inevitably turn into multi-columned, multi-paged lists of everything in my universe of work, life, and motherhood that needs to get done. Knowing that these lists are impossible-to-conquer monsters, I force myself to pick a tiny number of things, maybe three, maybe five, that absolutely must get done that day. The problem is, more often than not, I grab a couple more off the monster list and keep chugging along. Yes, it's awful. Yea, I'm working on it.

In the moments when I finally accept that I have done the few things I needed to do and everything else can wait, I love working with color. Paints, pastels, pencils, it doesn't matter. I grab whatever feels right in the moment and put something on paper in an uninterrupted flow. Sometimes it's just lines, other times, it's shapes, or maybe if E joins me, some sort of car, plane, ship, or scribble. I love these moments of free expression and am working on prioritizing them against my list of things to do so they can happen more often.

Katelin: When I've checked off my to-do list, it's time for water and sunlight! I am a Maryland girl for sure and grew up swimming and boating on Deep Creek Lake and the many rivers around. So here, I might go to a friend's pool or to a local beach for a day. Read a book on the shore or play in the water with my nephews while they are on summer break. Then eat crabs or burgers from the grill for dinner. In a pinch, I blow up an inflatable pool in my backyard, lay in it with my bichon Max, and read!

Maura: Leisurely lunch or coffee date during the week with friends. I was driving by Mae's today thinking about how I want to carve out more time to grab coffee or wine with girlfriends. Life lately has felt extra frantic, and I feel like I ping pong between my family and the store, and unless a friend comes to see me at work, I just don't see enough of my besties. Maybe it's time to add it to the top of my to-do list? I also need some fun summer books in my life.

Adrien: Have I focused my precious time and energy on the trivial many, or did I spend it on the crucial few? Do my "to-dos" include those things I value most? Have I said "no" more than "yes"? These are the questions I consider when I approach any "to-do" list.

Often, "to-do" lists can be built to reward us with a dopamine (a feel-good hormone that helps us feel rewarded and accomplished) rush. They can also be constructed to "fix." They can also be a "busy" habit to help us feel "busy," productive, and needed.

Keeping my "to-do" list as short and manageable as possible leaves me contented and at peace.