My Year of Failed To-Do Lists: A Brutally Honest Look at 2024

MJ Wynn
Feb 3
6 min read

Updated: May 25

If you had asked me at the start of 2024 what I wanted most, I would have told you:

"Consistency"

The kind of steady, grounded rhythm that makes life feel manageable. I pictured myself as one of those people who seemed to have life figured out—waking up at sunrise, following a perfect morning routine, crushing their goals with unwavering determination, and maintaining an Instagram-worthy level of organisation. I wanted to be the person who meal-prepped every Sunday, never missed a workout, and always had their inbox at zero.

Spoiler alert: that's not how it went. Not even close.

What I quickly realized was that while I desperately craved consistency, the only thing I was truly consistent about was being inconsistent. My days felt like a chaotic dance between bursts of motivation and complete surrender to Netflix binges. I would start each Monday with the energy of a motivational speaker, only to find myself by Wednesday wondering where all that enthusiasm had gone. I'd make ambitious plans—detailed schedules, elaborate systems, fancy habit trackers—only to watch them collect digital dust in my Notes app.

And then I'd beat myself up, thinking, Why can't I stick to anything? What's wrong with me? Why does everyone else seem to have their life together while I'm still figuring out how to maintain a regular sleep schedule?

It took me months of frustration—and more than a few tearful journal entries—but I finally understood what was missing: structure. Not just any structure, but one that actually worked with my natural rhythms instead of against them.

Why Consistency Needs Structure

Imagine trying to build a house without a blueprint. You'd have all the materials—the finest wood, the strongest steel, the most beautiful fixtures—and maybe even a Pinterest board full of inspiration for how you want it to look. But without a solid plan to follow, you'd end up with a chaotic pile of expensive materials and a whole lot of frustration. That's exactly how consistency works.

I had all these ideas for what I wanted to do—write daily blog posts, maintain a consistent workout routine, meditate every morning, spend less time doom-scrolling on TikTok, and more time creating meaningful content. But I didn't have the structure to support those goals. Instead, I was trying to willpower my way into consistency, believing that if I just wanted it badly enough, everything would fall into place.

Spoiler alert (again): it wasn't just about wanting it—it was about building a system that made it possible.

The Problem With "Winging It"

Here's the thing about trying to wing your way to consistency: it's like trying to navigate a new city without a map or GPS. You might occasionally stumble upon where you want to go, but most of the time, you'll end up lost, frustrated, and wondering why you even started the journey. When you lack structure, you're setting yourself up to fail. You wake up every day with the same vague goal—be consistent—but no concrete plan for how to achieve it. And when life inevitably throws curveballs your way (like that unexpected phone call that derails your morning routine, or the Netflix show that keeps you up way past your intended bedtime), you end up abandoning your intentions because you don't have a system to fall back on.

For me, it looked like this:

Promising myself I'd start journaling every morning but forgetting because I didn't have a designated time or place for it. My journal would sit untouched on my nightstand while I scrolled through social media, telling myself I'd "get to it later."
Telling myself I'd exercise three times a week but not scheduling it, so it never actually happened. I'd pack my gym bag with the best intentions, only to have it mock me from the corner of my room for weeks.
Wanting to work on creative projects but getting overwhelmed because I didn't break them down into manageable steps. Instead of writing that blog post I'd been thinking about, I'd spend hours reorganizing my desk, convincing myself I needed the perfect environment before I could start.
Making elaborate plans for healthy meal prep but ending up ordering takeout because I hadn't actually blocked out time for grocery shopping or cooking.

Without structure, consistency was just a nice idea—a dream without a roadmap, a destination without directions.

The Turning Point: Building a Foundation

Once I recognized the problem, I shifted my focus. Instead of beating myself up for being inconsistent, I asked myself: What kind of structure do I need to support the life I want to create? How can I make this easier for myself? What would actually work for me, not just what looks good on paper?

Here's what I discovered:

Start Small (Really Small): Instead of overloading myself with lofty goals, I began with one or two habits I could realistically commit to. For example, I set a goal to journal for five minutes every morning. That's it. No pressure to write profound insights or create Instagram-worthy spreads—just five minutes of honest reflection. Some days I wrote three sentences, others I filled pages. The point wasn't the quantity; it was showing up consistently.
Create Routines That Feel Good: I realized that my mornings and evenings were my anchors. By establishing a simple morning routine (making my bed, brewing coffee, journaling, and spending 10 minutes planning my day) and an evening wind-down (15 minutes of stretching, reading a few pages of a book, and reflecting on three good things that happened), I created bookends for my day that made everything feel more intentional. These weren't elaborate routines—they were simple, enjoyable rituals that I actually looked forward to.
Set Reminders (But Make Them Kind): Life gets busy, and it's easy to forget even the things that matter most to you. I started using reminders on my phone and sticky notes on my mirror, but instead of stern commands, I made them gentle invitations. Instead of "WORKOUT NOW!" my reminder says "Time to move your body in a way that feels good." Instead of "WRITE OR FAIL," it's "Ready to share your thoughts?" These small shifts in language made a huge difference in how I approached my goals.
Celebrate Every Win (No Matter How Small): Consistency isn't about perfection—it's about progress. I learned to celebrate the small wins, like sticking to my journaling habit for a week or completing one workout. I started keeping a "wins journal" where I documented these achievements, no matter how minor they seemed. Those little victories kept me motivated and helped me see that I was making progress, even when it didn't feel like it.
Build in Buffer Time: One of my biggest revelations was that I needed to plan for imperfection. Instead of scheduling everything back-to-back, I started building in buffer time—15 minutes between tasks, an hour of flex time in my day. This meant that when something took longer than expected (which it often did), I didn't feel like my whole day was derailed.

What I Learned About Myself

This journey taught me more about myself than any self-help book ever could. I realized that I'm not lazy or unmotivated—I just needed systems that worked with my natural tendencies instead of against them. We all need support structures, especially when we're juggling multiple responsibilities, dreams, and the general chaos of being human in the digital age.

I also learned that consistency isn't linear. There are still days when I stumble, when my carefully crafted structure crumbles, and I fall back into old patterns. But instead of letting that derail me completely, I now understand that these setbacks are part of the process.

Consistency isn't about never failing—it's about knowing how to get back on track when you do.

For Anyone Feeling the Same

If you've been struggling with consistency, first, take a deep breath. You're not alone in this. It's not a character flaw or a lack of discipline or evidence that you're somehow falling behind in life. Sometimes, it's just that you're trying to run before you've built the track—and that never works out well.

Start with structure. But not just any structure—one that feels authentic to you. Ask yourself:

What systems can I put in place that will actually support my goals, not just look good on paper?
How can I make things easier for myself instead of adding more pressure?
What small habits could serve as my foundation for bigger changes?
What time of day do I naturally have the most energy and focus?
What's worked for me in the past, even if only briefly?

Remember, consistency isn't about being perfect every single day or transforming your entire life overnight. It's about showing up for yourself, even in the smallest ways, and trusting that those small efforts will compound over time. It's about building a foundation that can weather the storms of life while still allowing for the flexibility that real life demands.

So here's to building the foundation first—and to knowing that even if you stumble (when you stumble, because you will), you can always start again. After all, the most consistent thing about life is that it's consistently unpredictable, and maybe that's not such a bad thing after all.

🌷 Signed, MJ