Nothing bad will happen if you don't do "XYZ" right now, stop eating so many frogs
It is a type of phrase I have often told myself and my gf:
"Nothing bad will happen if you do not do XYZ today but tomorrow, or in some cases,.. if you do not do it all."
"Nothing bad will happen if you do not reply to that e-mail right now but in next few days."
Etc.
Whenever I feel overwhelmed, stressed, have a big to-do list, I realize that on any given day, besides work, there are perhaps 1 or 2 tasks on average that I truly should do that day. The rest, can wait. I am not talking about a pattern of procrastination, instead I am advocating for giving yourself a break sometimes! Especially if nothing bad will come from it, and a more enjoyable stress-free day will result.
I know myself and my partner, generally speaking there are few important things we just ignore long-term. Things like bills, important letters or mails or other time-sensitive things that will have a big effect if we just were to shirk them.
Phrasing it that way above, already removes the anxiety or pressure. At times I will simply write down a date by which I do want to do it and get on with doing anything more enjoyable, perhaps a walk together. Or another task that is also not unimportant but that actually sounds more fun to do.
In about a third of the cases, the issue resolves itself! For instance worrying about not being or staying home while the sun is out,.. to receive a post package. The package will likely be dropped off at the post office where I have fourteen days to get it. Which is an excuse for a short and nice bike ride together or alone.
Sure, people in the time management and productivity realms often swear by the opposite, the whole quote often attributed to Mark Twain->
“If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.”
There’s no concrete evidence that Mark Twain ever spoke or wrote these words. Yet is a useful thought and device, at times.
On the other hand,.. one has to wonder, what the hell is going wrong if it is your literal or figurative job to eat a number of frogs every day, never mind one or more big ones every day, for years! Sometimes the frog is entirely of your own making, the worry and pressure you put on yourself and the unwarranted and unnecessary weight you attach to issues that you may not even remember in a few weeks time.
A quote I often prefer and that has also been attributed to Mark Twain (and others) is: "I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened."
Perhaps life should not be an endless parade of frog eating.
We all have to eat a few (big) Frogs now and then. But we also turn too many tasks into frogs. By convincing ourselves that we are a bad person or failing ourselves or not having a productive day if we don't do thing XYZ, right now!
Even though XYZ can totally wait.
Even though you are hungry or tired.
Even though you have other tasks to that, that might be equally important and more enjoyable.
Even though if you did something de-stressing first, that other task would actually become much easier instead of a frog fight.
Tim Ferriss wrote about related things in 2007:
https://tim.blog/2007/10/25/weapons-of-mass-distractions-and-the-art-of-letting-bad-things-happen/