Tackling The To-Do List

Have you ever had so many things to get done that you just don't know where to begin? Have you ever been overwhelmed by the things you need to get done that you end up doing something that's not even on your to-do list? For instance, I need to finish cleaning out the attic and cleaning out Mana's room to get ready for the room re-do and I go and clean out my closet and out from under my bed! Or, have you ever saved up some money for something you really wanted and then spent half of it on something that you never thought about buying? I don't know about you but I've been guilty of doing all of these things from time to time.

This summer is the summer of change! I want to put an end to my old habits and start fresh! I've been trying to self-diagnose myself concerning these quirky issues, and I believe the one thing that will help me stay on track is an action plan written on paper! There's something amazing that happens when you get your thoughts and ideas down on paper. It's like they come to life and you can tackle them head on. I love taking a pen and marking through things on a to-do list. It's very gratifying to me! So, today I'm going to make a list of all the things that I want to do and need to do, and I'm going to prioritize them from most important to least important. I'm a very visual learner, so I've got to see things written down.

When you get down to it, putting things off just makes the situation worse because "it" still needs to get done, and you are still thinking about doing "it" (too much mind clutter)! So, I'm going to divide my projects into baby steps that seem doable! Sometimes we just have to stop thinking about what needs to get done, and how huge the project is, or how anxious we feel when we think about getting started, and JUST DO IT! The satisfaction we'd feel after accomplishing the task is way better than feeling guilty for putting it off.

The following list I found online, and I think it will help me stay on track!


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Today’s Date

A Items: Something I must do today or face serious consequences.
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B Items: Something I should do today or face mild consequences.
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C Items: This would be great, but there are no consequence if done today or not.
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D Items: I could delegate this to someone else.
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E Items: I could eliminate this altogether without making a huge difference.
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F Items: I need to keep this in mind for the future.
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So, if you're like me and have too many "irons in the fire" and don't know where to begin, start with a list! Another very important factor in this equation is for me to make wise use of my time. I read something the other day that really stood out in my mind. It was referring to the 100 most influential people in history. These men and women who changed the world did not have any more hours in a day than you and I. I'm convinced that these people had an action plan, probably wrote it down, and used their time very wisely!

"IF A TASK IS ONCE BEGUN, NEVER LEAVE IT TILL IT'S DONE. BE THE LABOR GREAT OR SMALL, DO IT WELL OR NOT AT ALL."

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might...!" Ecclesiastes 9:10