Just Let The Low End Drag

Instead of fretting about getting everything done, why not simply accept that being alive means having things to do? Then drop into full engagement with whatever you're doing, and let the worry go. ~Martha Beck


Many of us have so much on our plate, that there never seems to be enough hours in a day to accomplish it all. We're trying so hard to juggle and manage in this fast-paced world, that we're often running on autopilot, which can leave us physically exhausted, mentally fatigued and feeling overwelmed and scattered. But what would happen if we just let the low end drag? I heard Jess Sowers on Roots & Refuge, use this adage awhile back. It's a tweak on the ol' Southern expression, Let the rough end drag, which literally means if we're carrying a long, heavy piece of wood by ourselves, just lift one end of it and let the rough end drag on the ground. Figuratively it means, when we've got a heavy load (obligations, responsibilities, etc), do what is most important and let the rest go for now.

To accomplish this, we first need to clarify what takes precedence in our life. Is it our family, our career, our service, our health, our peace of mind? Once we've got our priorities straight, then we can simply focus on those tasks first and the rest of our to-do list can decend from there. Another way we can improve efficiency, is looking at how we manage our time. Do we have any time-sucking habits - activities that eat up chunks of our day, like unnecessarily long phone calls, scrolling social media or watching television - that hinder the completion of our intended goals? Scaling these down or setting time limits will help a lot.

Overcommitting ourselves, or stretching ourselves too thin and spending our days always on the move; rushing around like a headless chicken, is stressful and takes a huge toll on our physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Yet, it's often a pressure we put on ourselves. It's like the browser of our mind has too many tabs open, filling our head with an incessant loop of everything that needs doing and we fear falling behind, so we forge onward regardless of how we feel. Living this way will eventually drain our energy to the point of depletion. It's not sustainable. We need to save our precious energy for the things that truly matter to us. This may require saying, no to requests misaligned with our priorities, and taking time each day for self-reflection and rejuvenation.

The reality is, there will ALWAYS be things that need doing. In fact, I bet every one of us could think of at least five things right off the top of our heads. So rather than running ourselves ragged every day, let's enjoy our moments more by simply aiming for our best, concentrating on what matters most and letting the low end drag.