Not too long ago, I took life one day at a time. I had a list of daily tasks I wanted to accomplish, such as writing, cooking, cleaning, working out, and programming. If there was ever a day that I missed out on even one of my tasks, I would be sorely disappointed.

Eventually, my list got so long that I was slipping up daily. It made me stressed out and gave me the impression that I was not accomplishing anything at all. I was like a hamster, seeing only five seconds into the future.

That all changed when I came to one simple realization: there is only so much time in one day. Now, I manage my life with the realization that progress takes time.

For example, I now measure my productivity levels on a weekly basis. I meal prep for the entire week. I clean everything one day a week, instead of tiny bits every day. The list of examples goes on and on. Rather than asking myself, “What did I accomplish today?” I lean towards, “What did I accomplish this week?”

While this all sounds great, I must be careful not to fall down the rabbit hole of throwing away days with intentions of making up for it later in the week. I must continue to be productive each and every day, but still accept that not everything can be done in that one day.