On Friday, I had to collect something in the city in the middle of the day. I knew it would mean around two hours away from work. I try to end a bit earlier on Fridays regardless, and I wasn’t too busy, but I still wanted to take my work phone with me, just in case.
Less than 200 meters away from my house, I realized I had forgotten the phone. It was still sitting on my desk, charging. But it was also too late to run back and grab it. I’d miss my collection appointment. Ugh! Anxiously, I proceeded without my phone.
I returned almost exactly two hours later. Good estimate! When I opened my laptop, I found…the status quo. Nothing had changed. I had perhaps one or two extra messages, if those. Other than that? I could pick up where I had left off. No one had even noticed.
I finished my work, then wrapped up for the day. In the end, everything got done. My to-dos. My chores. And the only unnecessary task was worrying about my phone.
Will anyone remember this in five days? Will anyone still care in five weeks? What about five years down the road? These are all good questions to ask when you find an issue gnawing at you. Even for the moment, the same principle often applies: Will anyone even notice?
It’s not about getting away with shortcuts. It’s about whether panicking would be considered an appropriate response by people other than you. Usually, those situations are obvious. Everyone is in a state of alert. “Let’s raise all hell and get this done, people!” Most of the time, it’s just you—so you might as well skip the worry.
You are the vast, infinite sea of endless calm. Don’t let small waves rock your big boat.
