I have a million things to do and don’t know where to start. So, instead of doing any of them, I cleaned out my parents’ TV cabinet.
Behind the two glass doors, I found old DVDs, some custom-burned CDs — one with a broken case — and dust. Lots and lots of dust. I took out the movies, checked the web to see if they’re worth anything, and chucked a good 80% of them into the trash. I removed the plastic splinters from the broken case, rearranged everything, and wiped away the dust.
After I closed the glass doors again, I, too, felt a bit cleaner. Calmer. More organized. I still won’t be able to do everything on my list today, but I’ve since managed to do some of it without freaking out — and that’s worth more than the best plan that never gets put into action.
When you don’t know what to do, clean something. Folding the chaos in a battle you know you can win might not end the war, but it’s enough of a morale boost for you to keep fighting the good fight.