The Caring Counselor

Take a look at your to-do list. I dare you. Look at it. Stare at it. Think about it. It’s so much fun, isn’t it? Wondering about all those tasks. Just sitting there. Waiting for you. Looming in the shadows. Living rent-free in your head.

Task paralysis haunts us all. Often, it occurs when our list gets too long, and we don’t know where to start. Therefore, we put it off. Procrastinating feels like the only option. However, that list ain’t goin’ away. It knows where you are, and it will find you.

Well, as a mental health professional, it is my duty to help you thaw out from your frozen position. When it comes to task prioritization, allow me to introduce you to one of my favorite analogies- pebbles, rocks, and boulders.

Pebbles

Imagine walking down a path through your favorite park on a beautiful, sunny day. On your stroll, you occasionally look down and see itty bitty pebbles strewn along the walkway. You might even feel a few of them poke up through the bottom of your shoe. Nothing painful, but just letting you know that they are there.

In this sense, “pebbles” are small, nonurgent items. We know of their existence, but we can essentially step right over them for now. I like to give them example of alphabetizing your spice rack or cleaning your basement. Maybe it is something you want to eventually get to, but it isn’t immediately in the way. It isn’t causing any harm. There are more important things that need to be done.

Rocks

You keep on strolling along. Just up ahead, you notice a larger rock. It comes up to your knees and covers a good chunk of the path. You can do one of two things once you get closer.

1. Step around said rock and come back to it later.
2. Put some effort in, lift it with your knees, and move it out of the way.

If you opted for #1, then you will need to get back to it sooner rather than later. Someone riding their bike could run into it and hurt themselves pretty badly.

“Rocks” are those duties that require a bit more urgency and work. It is going to take a bit of effort to accomplish. You might be able to skip it at this very moment, but not for long.

The examples I give here usually are essays due in a week or cleaning around the house. These items don’t necessarily need to be done right this second. On the other hand, they will be in your face until they are.

Boulders

You are getting closer to the end of the park trail. So close to your goal. Coming around the bend, you stop dead in your tracks. There is a huge boulder that you can’t see over. It takes up the entire width of the trail. Little to no way for you to get around this one unfortunately. It is staring at you in the face.

This one must be addressed immediately and with effort. Go get that jackhammer, a few friends, and a tractor to move that big boy out of the way.

“Boulders” are the big ones. These tasks need to be done now, and you will be putting the work in. Think of setting up for a wedding that happens in less than 24 hours or studying for your final exam going down tomorrow. You better get to it!

Ultimately, taking a minute or two to organize your to-do list into these three categories could help give you a solid starting point. It gives you an idea of where to focus your energy and what can wait a little longer. Sometimes, the hardest part is just knowing where to start.

-The Caring Counselor