This is just a quick post on one way that I’ve realized I think about my commitments. This model works best with the tasks you select for yourself, but there are plenty of variations to which it also applies, including assignments from your school or place of work.

In a nutshell, the Over-Under Model states that what you want to do and what you’ve committed to affect you in different ways psychologically. Specifically, you place things that you want to do beneath (under) you, and you place what you’ve committed to (either to yourself or to someone else, tacitly or verbally) above (over) you.

In other words, when something comes along that you feel you want to do, it can remain a vague notion with no real weight for an arbitrary length of time. But as soon as you put a deadline on it, or say to someone exactly what it is you intend, you are no longer fully in control of how much sway it holds. You’ve placed it over you.

This, I think, is precisely what people mean when they say that something’s hanging over their head. It really does matter how many and how large are the things you put above you, because each one exacts a certain toll on your time and stress level. The more things you have over you, the less time you have for the whimsical things that remain below you. The less time you have for everything, really.

So, a couple of take-aways. Firstly, having things over you is not bad. It can definitely distill your focus and make you more effective at the things you have to do (as long as you really feel they are essential). Too many of these, though, and you will be overwhelmed. So, it’s important, if you’re a person who’s perpetually busy and stressed, to build in enjoyable tasks at equal priority to your mix of obligations. After all, work expands to fill your available time, so make conscious choices only to give it as much as you have to.