Let me guess. You were just about to clean out that closet. Or finally sit down and make a plan for your time. Or sort through the mountain of mail that somehow includes coupons from 2008 and a mystery key that unlocks absolutely nothing. But you didn’t. Why? Because the perfect time hadn’t arrived yet and you’re waiting for the perfect time.
I hate to break it to you, but that perfect time? It may be under the couch with the missing socks and your will to fold laundry. In other words, it’s probably not coming.
The idea that there’s some magical pocket of time waiting for us to be “ready” is a trap. It sounds responsible, even noble. “I’m just waiting for a good window.” “When things calm down, I’ll tackle it.” “Next week will be better.” Listen, unless you live in a universe where fairies do your to-do list, things are never going to calm down and line up with a full moon and also include a day where you feel totally motivated, energized, and free of any distractions. That’s not a schedule. That’s a unicorn.
Real Life Isn’t Polished. Neither Is Timing.
We’re always dealing with something. Whether it’s a job, kids, pets, weird weather, or your neighbor who has decided that 7 a.m. is a great time for leaf blowing year-round, there will always be noise in the background. Waiting for perfection is like waiting for a text back from the 90s. It’s not coming. And even if it did, it would be on a flip phone and completely unreadable.
What we have is right now. Not the dreamy “someday” when the house is spotless and your inbox is at zero and you’re finally caught up on everything. That “someday” is the cluttered Tupperware lid drawer of time. It exists in theory. But no one can actually find it.
The Magic is in the Micro-Moments
So what do we do instead? We work with what we’ve got. We use the in-between moments. The five minutes before a meeting. The seven minutes while the coffee brews. The window where your dog finally stops barking at the mail truck.
Use that little sliver of time to get one thing done. Wipe one shelf. Toss three things into a donation bag. Clear one corner of your desk. You don’t have to declutter the whole garage to make progress. You just have to start somewhere and keep stepping.
Momentum builds. And you’ll discover that imperfect action is way more powerful than perfect intentions. A quick win feels good. And when something feels good, we’re more likely to do it again. It’s a beautiful cycle—unlike laundry.
You Don’t Need to Be Ready. Just Willing.
If you wait to feel ready, you’ll be waiting a while. But if you tell yourself, “I’ll just start with this drawer,” and actually do it? You win. Even if you only make a dent, that dent is proof that you’re moving forward. And that’s a lot better than a to-do list that’s collecting dust and silently judging you from the kitchen counter.
Let’s Keep It Real
You are not lazy. You are not behind. You are not broken. You are a busy human doing your best in a very noisy world. So give yourself credit for every effort, every tiny win, and every time you choose action over waiting.
The perfect time? It’s not on your calendar. It’s in your hands.
Try This:
Pick something you’ve been putting off. Now ask yourself, “What’s the smallest version of this I could do right now?” Do it. Celebrate. Repeat.
If you need help deciding or need help getting a plan in place – I’m right here!
Coach Linda
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