De-stressing Over To Do Lists
Disregulated eaters often become
victims of their to-do lists. Feeling stressed by what you believe
you have to do, you’re more likely to
turn to food to reduce you’re the pressure you’re experiencing. Here’s how to
get yourself out from under.
What helped one client I work with
who drove herself crazy with whatever tasks she had left undone was to first
and foremost realize that she had created the list herself. Sure, she had a job
that required her to work and complete tasks, but she’s the one who felt driven
about accomplishing them quickly and perfectly. No one was pressuring her. Too
many of you whip yourselves into a frenzy in order to wipe your to-do list
clean—only to create a new one the moment you’ve checked off the last item. When
you do this, as the saying goes, you feel like a hamster who can’t stop running
on his wheel.
The problem is that somewhere along
the way having things to do became
associated with “shoulds” and anxiety, which turned tasks into compulsions. You
write a to-do list which for a nanosecond gives you the illusion that you’re in
control of life, but when that instant passes, you’re immediately overwhelmed
and flying frantic. The key to reducing your panic is un-pairing completing
tasks with anxiety. Who says they go together? Where did you learn this? Can’t
a to-do list simply stand on its own without feeling pressured by it? You
could, you know, feel neutral or nothing at all about it.
...
Source: Normal Eating - Category: Eating Disorders Authors: eatnormalnow Source Type: blogs