“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”

— Anne Frank

Giving is easiest with a clear mind.

When our mind is clear, we don’t have mental clutter. However, our mind does get cluttered from time to time.

It gets cluttered with every little thing on our to-do list, every email that needs a response, every fix-it project. It is especially cluttered with things we’ve put off, those things that gnaw at us.

That mental clutter has weight. And that weight sits on our shoulders, weighing us down, building up pressure. Naturally, when enough pressure builds, we look for a release valve – tv, food, games, movies, etc. Of course that thing is still waiting when the tv show is over, when the food is eaten, when the game is played, or when the movie is finished.

The fix? Make a to-do list and knock off one item. It removes a little clutter, which lightens the weight and reduces the pressure. Our mind is then more clear so we can give more.

Now the sceptic chimes in, “But, I still have stuff on my to-do list! I’ll never get it all done!”

True. We never get it all done. But that is why we have two strong shoulders. We can carry some burden without letting our guilt weigh us down. The key is to keep working on something, to keep the pressure reasonable, and to keep that mind clear.

Ironically, the other way to keep the pressure off isn’t to do anything for ourselves. It is to give more or give more effectively. Giving can help by putting those to-do items in perspective. Feed a homeless man for a day, and you might feel less guilty about getting to the grocery store. Cleanup some trash in your neighborhood, and your yard might not look so bad.

Don’t procrastinate. Make a difference today.

Put together a power point presentation for my children’s teacher who needed it recreated from the only paper copy. It’s theme was school survival. Ironically, one of the key lessons is to “not procrastinate.”