to do lists | creativeartworksblog

I am finally accepting that the time when ‘all my stuff is done’ is NEVER. I have a super power of building to-do lists from Hell. They are all-inclusive, never-ending, generating even more as I mark something off.

I used to think if I just worked harder, used my time better, I would be able to cross the LAST thing off the list for once. Over the years, though, I am able to do less in a day. I get tired a lot faster, hurt for a day or so after I overdo, and just think of things I really need to tackle next. :0)

One of the changes I’m making as intelligence wins over stamina and enthusiasm, is changing the NAME of my list from ‘To-Do’ to ‘INTENTIONS’ list. That’s more honest.

I can even add boxes before each list item for marking the priority of getting it accomplished so that I do all the ‘1’s’ first. (A ‘1’ would mean I would be embarrassed for some reason if someone else saw it UNdone – such as cleaning the center shelves in our entertainment center when the DirecTV installer was due to install our new system, so he wouldn’t see all the dog hair and dust behind everything. (As it turned out, this one was actually a much lower priority, since no one but my husband and I actually saw all the mess behind all our stuff. We were sent a palm-sized device we plugged in to the back of the TV and then got the system to work ourselves.)

Another reason for a ‘1’ priority designation would be if we were going to run out of something that I really needed for something specific – like an ingredient in a recipe I was making that evening, or food for our animals. If I finished the number ‘1’ designated things on the list, the most important stuff would be accomplished.

The problem with this is that some things with the least priority would probably NEVER get done. AND, if they have such a low priority, why are they on the list in the first place? Maybe I should ONLY list “priority 1” items and forget the rest?

You may be seeing one big reason why I’m always so behind on my whatever-we’re-going-to-call-it list —- I get hung up on the actual CREATING of the list and get to what’s ON the list too rarely to make a dent in it.

Maybe I should just order the mug above for myself and forget about the list until tomorrow…

“When you feel overwhelmed with too much to do and too little time, remind yourself that all you can do is all you can do.” ~ Brian Tracy

I have been a list-maker all my life. Most of the time the lists keep me on track, keeping me from forgetting things – something I do more as I become ‘more wise’ each year. :0)

From time to time, my lists swamp me. I try to do the most important things first, and that helps. It makes me more productive, but doesn’t do much for the ‘feeling’ of inadequacy running underneath.

And things that come up in the natural course of life sometimes keep me from being able to check ANYTHING off my list. An example is yesterday, when my husband brought me an incredibly dirty pair of jeans that had yet more rips in the legs. He wanted me to fix them. I’ve been trying to get him to buy several pairs of jeans to replace ones that are very worn, but these are his ‘favorites.’ I ended up using iron-on patches, then washing the jeans, then having to sew the patches on where the patches were trying to curl up. My husband pronounced them, “healed,” smiling, but one day there won’t be any denim left to put the patches on…

Today my priorities will be to get more errands done, do stuff OUTSIDE this afternoon since it’s supposed to rain again tomorrow, and see how it goes.

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