“Sounds Like Monday’s Problem” — A Lesson in Mental Boundaries
I was talking with Yogi this morning, and a chocolate wrapper from Wednesday was still sitting on my desk. Inside it said:
“Sounds like Monday’s problem!”
I laughed… and then I stopped laughing.
Because we all do this. We run in multiple directions. We’re always mentally living in tomorrow, next week, the next conversation, the next issue.
We give problems early access to our minds.
The Habit We Don’t Notice
Most stress doesn’t come from what’s happening right now. It comes from what might happen. We replay conversations that haven’t occurred. We solve problems that haven’t arrived. We mentally attend meetings days before they exist.
We borrow stress from the future — and pay interest on it today.
Not Everything Needs Today’s Energy
That chocolate wrapper message hit because it connects directly to something I wrote earlier this week:
“Before the world gets a vote on my time, my mind, or my emotions… I decide who I’m going to be that day.”
That’s not just a morning mindset. It’s a daily filter. Not everything deserves access to your thoughts right now. Some things need action. Some things need a plan. Some things just need a calendar date. And some things?
They’re Monday’s problem.
The Post-It + Paper Strategy
This is exactly why I use my Post-it and paper system. When something starts circling in my head, I don’t carry it. I capture it.
I write it down and decide:
- Do it now
- Schedule it
- Or it’s not today’s job
That simple act moves it from mental noise to structured control. Writing it down isn’t avoidance.
It’s containment. Your mind isn’t a storage unit. It’s a processing space.
The Cost of Carrying Everything
When we carry future problems all day:
We dilute focus. We shorten patience. We increase mental fatigue. We react instead of respond. And we end up living the same moment twice: once in our head, and once in real life.
That’s double taxation.
The Discipline of “Not Yet”
Saying “not yet” is a leadership skill.
It’s how we protect:
- Presence with people
- Focus on the task in front of us
- Emotional steadiness
- Decision clarity
It’s not denial. It’s timing.
That tiny chocolate wrapper reminded me of something simple but powerful: Some problems don’t need early access to your mind.
They’ll get their turn. But today?
Today belongs to now.