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| Stuff to do |
I'm a list-maker. I want to believe that if I write down things I won't forget about them... Well, sometimes that works - sometimes not. I make lists for a lot of things. Books I want to read, movies I want to watch, cds or songs I just have to have. I have a bucket list and a list of projects... and of course I have that ever-present To Do list.
Making lists satisfies something for me. It leads me to think that I'll actually DO something about the things I've listed... and I do. I make more lists! I move undone items to a new slip of paper... I go out and buy list-making post-it notes with lines. I create lists for the day and when I don't get everything accomplished, I move them to another list for the week - which often turns into a list that's calendared to get done sometime within a month and then that turns into just "sometime."
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| Well...some things are done at least |
Within the lists I create, I number them...or sometimes I rank them for their level of importance with little stars. I always end up cheating adding stars to things that I WANT to do and leaving the dull and awful tasks like doing my taxes with no stars and the going to lunch or hiking with a friend with multiple stars. This often leads to a 'things that absolutely must get done today' list.
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| One of several bucket lists... |
Occasionally I achieve a level of satisfaction when I can actually scratch an item off a list. It's usually an easy thing like a reminder to call a friend about something or that I need to take out the trash. The things that I list that take time and effort - ha! Those are the things that get moved a lot... so when I actually complete (or mostly complete) a list I've made, I feel good. Then I celebrate by ignoring all the things that I've listed that I have to do... which deflates that sense of accomplishment and sends me back to the top of the list. Darn!
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| Some lists on my computer |
So ~ I have a question for you... are you a list maker? If you are, what do you make lists for? What's the weirdest thing you've made a list for? Are they effective? What kind of advice do you have for me so that I can make progress on MY lists? Finally... make a list and post in the comments here!
~ 3 of your favorite movies; 3 of your favorite books; 3 of your favorite foods; 3 of your favorite places to go; and 3 of your favorite things ever!
Wow Nadine, I am going to have to put all those requests on my list.
ReplyDeleteI am a list maker, as you know. I make lists for ST tasks (especially to order errands into geographic sequence-so I am not driving all over the place), for moments of blinding brilliance that I know I will forget if I don't write it down. I make lists of preparatory actions; stuff I need to do to be ready from something coming up. I also use my Outlook calendar as well as a physical calendar to record future events...I will put the event on the calendar, then put another event 2 weeks before (or whatever) to remind me to do the prep stuff needed for that thing. To me, that is also list-making.
Advice? Well my dear friend, it is not the list that fails to motivate, it the heart and mind. All I can say is that you need to understand what will motivate you. Some options: Each list could have 2 columns: Easy and Hard. Do two Hard tasks, get 3 easy ones for free! Does that kind of mental trickery work for you? Or you could use the punishment avoidance method. Do one Hard task or NO easy tasks today. I hate that personally.
I just usually set aside a part of each weekend to get that icky stuff done, I tell myself that I will get some part of it (no rules for me!) done before noon and then be ok with it. I then move all the not done stuff to a new list, cause I like seeing nice short lists.
Also, I use a white board for some long term ongoing things...so when I have time I look at it and think, would 30 mins spent on THAT help me right now?
I think you get a LOT done. Give yourself some credit girlfriend!!
Hahahah, forgot to list my favorites. Maybe later. :-)
ReplyDeleteOh sorry, what a blog hog I am...the other way I get myself to do stuff on my list is to schedule time in my Outlook calendar, so the time is blocked off and committed. It sends me a reminder, there is a start and end time and I just do it. And get as much done as I can. Ok enough from me!
ReplyDeleteI remember being totally overwhelmed by the amount of things I had to do in college one day. With no clue where to start, I asked a friend for advice (maybe it was YOU?!). She wondered if I had made a list yet... a list? I honestly don't think it had ever crossed my mind! Since that day I've been furiously writing lists for all sorts of things. I prioritize by assigning numbers after the list is done, then I neatly re-write the list in order.
ReplyDeleteMy best advice to you, Nadine is to add lots of things to your list that you've already done then cross them off and reward yourself by doing triple-star items like going for a hike with me ;) It’s very satisfying.
example:
pet the dog… CHECK!
take a shower... CHECK!
go to Jazzercise... CHECK!
Nothing gains momentum like adding a 50/50 mix of things I've already done. By the time you get to the tough stuff, you're half way there!
3 favorite movies: Best in Show, Benny and Joon, Frida
3 favorite books: From Seed to Skillet, 100 years of solitude, Huevos Verdes con Jamon
3 favorite places to go: the Farmer's Market, Mexico, Redstone CO
Ok ~ I'm listing all these now... and I LOVE your favs!
ReplyDeletemovies
ReplyDelete1. You Me and Everyone We Know
2. Short Bus
3. Royal Tennenbaums
Books
1. Written on the Body
2. Jitterbug Perfume
3. Freakonomics
Foods
1. Grilled Spinach
2. Fried Egg Sandwhich
3. Creme Brule
places to go
1. Wherever my Auntie Nadine is
2. The Beach
3. Sputnik (martini bar in Denver)
Favorite things ever
1. Playing card games with my family
2. Having someone local show me all of their favorite places in a foreign land
3. Live music
Yum ~ grilled spinach (eek!) but I really love creme brule! See ~ I learn something new every time ~ who knew that playing card games with your family was your favorite thing ever ~ EVER! Love you Bekah.
ReplyDeletehere's an item for your Netflix list...Note By Note..the story of Steinway pianos...whatever happened to all those craftsmen? thanks for your list info...there's something mentally reassuring to know what is going to be accomplished each day (or into the future)..so many distractions, interruptions, breakdowns, etc..
ReplyDelete