We all have that mental list of things we’ll do “someday”—you know, that mythical time when everything magically aligns and we finally get around to what matters. But here’s the thing: time has a sneaky way of slipping through our fingers while we’re busy making plans for later. Let’s talk about those important things you need to stop pushing to tomorrow because sometimes tomorrow comes way later than we planned.
1. That Conversation With Your Parents
Stop waiting to ask them about their lives, their stories, and all those questions you’ve been meaning to ask. Your parents aren’t just the people who raised you—they had entire lives before you came along, filled with dreams, heartbreaks, and adventures you know nothing about. Every time you think “I’ll ask them about that next time,” you’re gambling with precious memories that could be lost forever. The stories they carry aren’t in history books or family albums—they’re in their memories, and those memories are time-sensitive.
2. Getting Your Legal Affairs in Order
That will you’ve been meaning to write, the power of attorney you know you should set up, and those end-of-life decisions you avoid thinking about—they’re not just about you. Putting these things off can create massive complications for your loved ones during already difficult times. No one likes thinking about mortality, but forcing your family to make tough decisions without guidance is far worse than spending a few uncomfortable hours planning ahead. Your clear-headed decisions now can prevent family conflicts and legal nightmares later.
3. Having That Medical Procedure
That surgery you keep postponing, that dental work you’re avoiding, or that chronic issue you’re living with usually doesn’t get better with time. Medical procedures might be inconvenient or scary, but waiting often makes them more complicated and expensive. Your body keeps score of the compromises you make with your health, and sometimes temporary discomfort is worth long-term relief. The recovery time you’re dreading won’t get shorter by waiting.
4. Documenting Your Life
Those photos you need to organize, those family stories you should write down, or those videos you keep meaning to back up are all pieces of your history that could be lost. Technology changes, memories fade, and opportunities to capture important moments don’t always come around again. Every undocumented story or unsaved photo is a piece of history that might disappear forever. Your future self (and future generations) will thank you for preserving these memories.
5. Making Peace with Your Past
That baggage you’re carrying from old wounds, those resentments you’re holding onto, or that forgiveness you’re withholding (maybe from yourself) are taking up space in your life right now. Emotional wounds don’t heal just because time passes; they need active attention and care. The energy it takes to maintain old grudges or suppress past pain could be better spent building your future. Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is yourself.
6. Creating Something Meaningful
That book you want to write, that project you want to start, or that dream you keep putting off until “the right time” is waiting for you to realize that perfect conditions don’t exist. Creative pursuits often get pushed to the bottom of our priority list because they don’t feel “necessary.” Every delay is a choice to keep your unique contributions locked inside where they can’t impact anyone. The world needs what only you can create, but you have to actually create it.
7. Living True to Yourself
That authentic version of yourself you keep hiding, those dreams you’ve pushed aside for practicality, or that life you really want to live but are afraid to pursue—they’re the essence of who you are. Every time you choose security over authenticity or others’ expectations over your own truth, you’re trading pieces of yourself for external approval. The cost of denying your true self accumulates over time, often showing up as regret later in life. The person you’re meant to be is waiting for you to stop postponing their existence.
8. Your Health Screenings
Those routine check-ups you keep rescheduling aren’t actually optional, no matter how much you pretend they are. That weird mole, that persistent pain, or that dental cleaning you’ve been postponing won’t fix themselves while you’re busy ignoring them. Small health issues have a nasty habit of becoming big health issues when left unchecked, and sometimes “later” becomes “too late” faster than you’d expect. The peace of mind from knowing you’re okay (or catching something early) is worth more than the temporary discomfort of a doctor’s visit.
9. Creating Financial Security
Stop treating your future self like a stranger you don’t care about by putting off basic financial planning. That retirement account you’ve been meaning to set up, that emergency fund you keep saying you’ll start next month, or that debt you’re pretending doesn’t exist are all ticking time bombs in your financial future. The magic of compound interest works both ways—either for you or against you—and every year you wait is a year of potential growth you’re throwing away. The best time to start was yesterday, but the second-best time is right now, even if it’s just with small amounts.
10. Learning That Skill You’ve Always Wanted To Learn
The instrument gathering dust in your closet or that language app you downloaded but never opened is waiting for you to stop saying “someday.” Every time you think “I wish I had learned this when I was younger,” remember that you’ll probably think the same thing ten years from now about today. The time will pass anyway, so you might as well be a beginner now than wish you had started years later. Your future self will either thank you for starting today or regret that you waited even longer. The myth of “natural talent” has probably stopped more people than actual lack of ability.
11. Repairing Important Relationships
That friendship you let drift away over something you barely remember, that family member you haven’t spoken to because of pride, or that misunderstanding you never cleared up—they’re all carrying a weight you don’t need to keep bearing. Time has a way of making small rifts into permanent canyons if we let them go unaddressed for too long. Every day you wait makes that first step harder, and some opportunities for reconciliation have expiration dates we don’t know about. The regret of never trying to fix things often hurts more than the risk of reaching out.
12. Creating a Life Outside of Work
Stop postponing your personal life while waiting for the perfect moment in your career. That hobby you’re interested in, those friends you never have time to see, or that work-life balance you keep saying you’ll establish “after this project”—do them now. Your career might span decades, but the opportunities for certain life experiences don’t always wait for your schedule to clear. The promotion you’re chasing won’t keep you warm at night or laugh at your jokes.
13. Taking Care of Your Mental Health
That therapist you’ve been meaning to find, that stress management you know you need, or that emotional baggage you’ve been carrying is not going to resolve with time. Mental health isn’t just about crisis management; it’s about preventive maintenance and understanding yourself better. The stigma around seeking help is far less costly than the price of leaving mental health issues unaddressed. Sometimes “pushing through” is actually just pushing problems down the road where they’ll surface in bigger ways.
14. Getting Your Living Space in Order
That cluttered garage that stresses you out every time you see it is quietly draining your energy. Your environment affects your mental state more than you might realize, and chaos in your space often creates chaos in your mind. Small repairs have a way of becoming big expenses when ignored, and clutter has a way of growing when left unchecked. Creating a space that brings you peace instead of stress isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about creating a foundation for your well-being.
15. Taking Care of Your Body
Newsflash: your body is keeping track of all these postponed promises (like that exercise routine you’ll start “when things calm down,” or that diet you’ll fix “after the holidays.” Health isn’t something you can put off indefinitely and then catch up on later when it’s convenient. The habits you’re forming (or avoiding) right now are building the foundation for your future health. Your body will eventually demand payment for the maintenance you’ve been deferring.
