GYST (Get your Sh*t Done) or Completion day is a concept that has existed for a long time and has been popularized by Kalyn Nicholson as GYST and also by the books of Sarah Knight. I prefer to call it a completion day as it psychologically sets the tone for one cycle ending and another cycle beginning.
Completion days are like much-needed interventions. It is amazing to have bucket lists and to-do lists and Pinterest boards filled with recipes to try and DIY projects to do. It shows you are excited about your life and you have plans and dreams. But, the reality is most of us hardly get these things done. Sooner or later your vision board and bucket lists look like mere fantasies and your half-read self-help book feels like a burden. This is where the importance of completion day comes in. I also call it my “sort your life out day”
This is the day when you have an entire blank day only for the purpose of getting your halfway done things complete. Now, based on your lists obviously the contents of this day are going to change.
Have an unread or half-read book?
If it is just a chapter more then finish reading it right now. If there is a long way to go then commit to finishing 20 pages a day and complete the book in a week. Are you not inspired to read it? Kindly give it away to a friend or charity. Do not hold on to it from now on. You could almost hear Marie Kondo asking does it spark joy?
The above-mentioned scenario applies in every area of your completion day. The same goes for your DIY projects, half decluttered wardrobe, half-written journal, half-written blog posts, half done baby scrapbooks, etc.
I recently heard about a guy who had travel goals and lots of money but not enough time and something happened in his personal life that made him take few days off and buy two different holiday vouchers to visit Europe and Armenia. That is exactly the goal of completion day. You get things done or you dump things that are no longer relevant.
What did I accomplish on my completion day?
- I finished reading a half-read book by giving myself a time frame of 48 hours
- I deleted a Pinterest board with crockpot recipes because I do not have a crockpot and would not be buying one in near future
- I took an envelope and put a few coins in there and labeled it ‘my Georgia trip’(putting my intention there)
- I completed 1 blog post and got an outline ready for two other posts
- I finally followed that exercise regimen I saw on Youtube and have realized it is working for me
- I have given myself a deadline for 3 DIY Projects and scrapped the half done and never going to complete projects
- I printed out all the Worksheets for my son that I have been downloading since his 1st birthday
- Cleared up the screenshot folder on my phone and I am almost embarrassed to admit that it had almost 50 different skincare products I wanted to buy once upon a time
Importance of a completion day
- It gives you a moment to look at all that you really want to do for yourself
- Accomplishing smaller tasks fills you with a sense of confidence that translates into other areas of your life
- It helps you live your dreams
- It helps you let go of things and dreams that are not in alignment with who you have become
- It is like closing all the 30 windows on your laptop and shutting it down to let it cool
In the fast-paced environment that we all are living in, it is so easy to get lost in the overload of information and millions of choices. Somewhere in this chaos we lose ourselves and end up wearing clothes and eating food and traveling to places that are not our original choices. Result? A feeling of unfulfillment and eventual burnout. This is why the completion day is important. This day clears up mental and physical clutter to help you gain clarity.
How to have a successful completion day?
- Ensure you had a good 8 to 9 hours of sleep the previous night
- Meal prep the day before as today is not about cooking
- Have a clear plan of what it is you are tackling
- Try to do it when your kids are not around as this process needs your undivided attention
- Try not to overestimate your abilities to tackle all the areas of your life at one go
- Have the attitude that you are evolving and henceforth what once resonated with you might not have the same effect on you now and that is okay
How often should you have a completion day?
It truly depends on your lifestyle but, to begin with, every two weeks is a great start. Once you have more control over your routine, lifestyle, etc. you could have a completion day every month.
Completion day is not to be confused with your weekend laundry and meal-prep day. This day is not about doing admin work either. If done correctly it will help you publish your book, start your blog and travel the world and do all the big things you always wanted to do but did not have the time for.
This blog happened because of me practicing completion days twice a month. I credit completion days for trying the many recipes that have become a staple in our lives now. It is true that if we want things to change in our life then we should start doing things differently. Just change the way you do things to see the changes you have always wanted.
Routines are great and effective and have compounding effects but, are you sure your routines are helping you progress in life? This is where completion days are needed as interventions.
I hope you have a successful completion day that helps you gain clarity and insight enabling you to take the reins of your life and living your dreams. Stay blessed!
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