You know, this week the couch and Netflix look really good to me. It’s calling…
There’s a lot going on right now. Isn’t there always? I’m still doctoring, I’m life/weight loss coaching in my business, the kids need a new homeschool plan for the fall, it’s time to record a new YouTube series, my online course needs the video classes to be recorded, and my professional website isn’t ready and I want it done yesterday. And oh yeah, I’m facilitating a virtual class on prayer for the women at church that I’m pretty sure is really a class for me in disguise. The syllabus needs to be done too.
It feels like everything needs to be done right now and I can’t figure out where the hours in the day are to do it all. With a teenager and two preteens in the house, the hormones and attitudes are flying. Add a homeschool teacher who needs guidance and a husband with a huge work project this week, and I’m feeling both overwhelmed with all the needs and alone on the island at the same time.
Lord, help!
So yes, a Netflix binge looks really appealing right now. I’ve never done a full-on TV binge (I’m just not a big TV person), but I can understand the attraction. Seems to me that drowning my worry and overwhelm in a few hours of TV would make it all go away for a while. And, I work really hard, so don’t I deserve a break? Balance is important in life, and I ought to practice what I preach, so a TV night might be a nice mini-escape for me. Right?
No. Absolutely not.
Now, I’m not saying never watch TV or even spend a night on a TV binge if you want to. The problem isn’t with the activity – it’s how I’m using it. Go back and watch my thought progression – my brain is quietly suggesting in a very well thought-out and reasonable fashion why I should escape from what I know needs to be done. It doesn’t like that I’m uncomfortable and it wants to offer me a way out of the discomfort. Here’s what will happen if I follow my brain down that path:
I burn a night that I could have made some progress on the things I need to do.
I stay up later than I plan in from of the TV.
I’m tired the next morning, and I don’t get up on time.
I rush through the next day trying to catch up.
I feel more behind than I did before the TV “rest”.
My overwhelm gets deeper and I start considering eliminating some of my goals.
TV isn’t the problem. I can make space for TV if I want to watch for fun. But as an escape? Very effective and incredibly sabotaging. So as attractive as that big screen is, I’m going to have to say no for now.
Instead, I went to bed early the other night. What I needed most was a little extra sleep. I woke up the next day shortly before my alarm and got up to write. Since the morning felt less rushed, I could take a minute to plan where I could fit in some of my to-dos. with my mind more clear, I can see how my brain has been sneaking in these thoughts that have been tempting me to lose my heart and my focus on what I’m here to do. So instead of my brain running amuck, I can move back to being in charge of my brain.
So yes, rest and recreation is important. But self-sabotage is not the way I want to get that in! The way to get the never-ending list of to-dos done is to plan and execute. Take a step back with a clear head and see what makes the most sense. I get tripped up by being in a rush to get everything done immediately, as if when I’m done I can take a break. The problem is that there’s always something to do, so a break never comes. My best plan is to incorporate the break into the plan of the to-do tasks. That way I make progress and I don’t burn myself out in the process.
Do I get this right all the time? Absolutely not – that’s how I ended up staring longingly at the TV as if it was the solution to my overwhelm! But catching my brain in the act of trying to find an escape from my discomfort in a way that works against me in the long-term is crucial to getting to the things I want much more than TV. I appreciate my brain for trying to take care of me. I just choose to use it to help me get where I really want to go instead of finding comfort in the moment. Momentary discomfort is how I grow, so I’ll choose that option!
It takes practice to catch your mind in the act of sabotage – it’s subtle and really good at what it does! But it can be done. It’s a lot easier to learn to retrain your brain with help – that’s what coaching does! If you want help, email me at drandreachristianparks@gmail.com and we can set up a 30 minutes mini-session to get you a taste of how coaching can help you get to where you want to go. You don’t have to do it alone!
Here’s your video help for the week!