If you’ve ever felt bad about yourself after a long day that wasn’t long enough to get it all done, you know all about schedule shaming.
Schedule shaming happens when we tell ourselves…
- I should be more organized.
- I should have more check marks on my to-do list.
- I didn’t do as much as everyone else.
- I am lazy and unaccomplished.
- I let people down.
- I didn’t do enough.
- I am not good enough.
When I saw the Nourished Planner’s #Stopscheduleshaming Instagram post (shown above), I knew exactly what they meant by schedule shaming. I have so been there! We jam every possible event, obligation, and to-do into our calendars and lists and then hang our heads at the end of the day discouraged that we can’t do it all. Or we compare and compete with the busy lives around us and feel less than enough if we aren’t measuring up.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Author Brené Brown said, “The expectations of what we can get done, and how well we can do it, are beyond human scale.” Most of the expectation setting is an inside job. Our focus is on getting as much done as possible instead of getting anything done well, or finding joy in what we are doing. When we try to juggle everything, we can’t enjoy anything.
If we won’t stop measuring, let’s change the measuring system. Let’s stop measuring who we are by what we accomplish. We need to measure less by what we cross off our to-do list, and more by what’s on our heart, by how we feel, and by how we treat people.
Let’s stop schedule shaming and tell ourselves …
- Organization is overrated. Less is the answer.
- I am not my to-do list.
- Comparison is futile.
- Slow and steady encourages more health and happiness.
- I will work with people who want my best not my busiest.
- I did enough.
- I am enough. In fact, I’m freakin’ awesome.
It’s time to stop chasing time and start enjoying it instead. – Nourished Planner
Let’s stop schedule shaming each other too. If someone says no to a request or invitation, shows up a little late for lunch, or takes a while to respond to an email, be graceful and grateful that they are taking care of themselves, and doing their best to navigate a hectic life. Instead of rolling your eyes (that used to be my signature move) or pushing others to do more, remember that we are all in this together. Less shaming. More loving.