Newly initiated to the PRU and seeing loads of resolutions from my fellow bloggers, I have to share a secret to getting things off the to-do list.
Forgive me for the hate.
Confession
As a procrastinator at heart, crossing items off my to-do list seemed impossible. Not being one to keep New Year’s resolutions as well as hating the proverbial Honey-do list, I tried this tactic instead. By organizing my chores in a slightly different arrangement, I found I love the feeling of accomplishment.
1. Have faith!
You can do this. One of the biggest hurdles to the to-do list is the belief you will not get it done because you have to do it. Resentment, distaste or laziness, you do not want to do what is on the list. You can overcome all of those.
Make To Do List
2. Bear With Me
Make a list of the first 100 things you know you need to do. List everything, even if it is a five minute job. Examples:
- Write a thank you note to your aunt for the gift she sent
- Sand wood working project
- Clean out the cabinet over the refrigerator
- Take Mate on weekend trip
- Stain woodworking project
- Buy new shoes. (Should appear on list at least three times.)
- Throw away old paperwork
- Polyurethane woodworking project
- Find yearbook club field trip permission slip
- Save $10
- Sign permission slip
- Lose one pound
3. Date the list.
Make a reasonable time frame. I like having all year. Surprisingly, this does not foster procrastination. This is the perfect time for this list and a yearlong goal. If you have a few big projects, you will not feel the defeat of an out-of-date list.
4. Have a Quickie
When you have five or more minutes, day or night, check your list. Find a job on the list that you can do in the time you have right now and do it. While you are looking, cross off all of the things you have done already. You do not have to do the items on the list in order!
Ready, GO!.
5. Seek and Destroy
Job #82 crossed off the list. Do you still have a few minutes? Find another job. Did you lose three pounds? Cross them off the list.
6. Lather, Rinse, Repeat
Repeat steps 4 & 5 until you are out of time. Jobs you think will take a long time can sometimes be accomplished in just a few minutes.
7. Enlist Help
Read: Children, Bestie or Mate. Two sets of hands are always faster than one. Whether this is delegating an item or having help finishing a bigger item, help is always good.
Take small steps.
8. Baby Steps
Do not fear starting something and not being able to finish it. By breaking big jobs down into steps, you can finish any job without being overwhelmed.
9. Reward yourself.
When you accomplish five jobs from your to-do list, celebrate! Have a cup of cappuccino or go out for an ice cream.
10. Big Reward
When the list is finished, celebrate a lot. Take off a few days or have a massage. Go back to step 1! You will have a lot more faith than the first time you made the list. Like every task, the more often you do it, the faster you can do it. See if you can finish a second list in the time you set aside for the first.
One bite at a time.
Time to Eat the Elephant
Anyone can eat an elephant. Take one bite at a time. You can finish any task as long as you break it down into manageable pieces.
Every year I manage to make and finish at least four lists, without working on it everyday. Some days are eight items off of the to-do list. Some items take three days. The best part is looking for a job on the to-do list and finding I have already done three!
Do you have trouble with to-do lists? Can you make a list of 100 things you want to do this year? What big job are you willing to tackle with this method?
prenin
/ January 3, 2012That’s what I have a wall diary for!!! 🙂
Everything written down ready for when it needs doing! 🙂
God Bless!
Prenin.
Red
/ January 3, 2012That is an excellent solution! {HUGZ} Red.
christyb
/ January 3, 2012Oh that to-do list ackk! Prioritize the list into what needs to be done first, second… And add timeframes as well (do number one today, number four tomorrow…). Procrastinating can make for some extra stress, and who needs that?!
christyb
Red
/ January 3, 2012The beauty of this method is there is not such stress-producing deadlines. Knowing when I was “working” I had daily lists, many things fell by the wayside. This was the perfect solution to take the stress away, but still get the things I needed done…done. it helped me not procrastinate the big jobs because I did not have 3-5 days (weeks) to finish them. Baby steps 😉
Androgoth
/ January 3, 2012I never bother with resolutions Red, I mean what is the point in them? For me I just do whatever needs doing at any given time, there are no lists or reminders, I already know what has to be done and so I just get on with it without question, and for me it works extremely well…
Have a wonderful rest of
afternoon and evening Red 🙂
Androgoth XXx
Red
/ January 3, 2012Organized in the mind is an expedient path, my friend. I hope your night is a glorious one, Andro. Red.
Androgoth
/ January 3, 2012Yes and I hope that your evening is wonderful too Red 🙂 You know there are many couples that I know that fall out over nothing at all, and it is usually the male of the partnership that fails, I guess some men just cannot adapt, or are unwilling to share the home responsibilities, even to the point of crying over who’s turn it is to take out the trash 🙁
Well I never bother with that scenario, I have always shared everything and I would never complain about whatever job I was doing, even ironing and washing up, sorting out the laundry, shopping or whatever, it isn’t a task, it is something that just needs to be sorted out and there is no name tag on what has to be done next 🙂
I have always been like that and when I see my friends moaning over such ridiculous things, I just cannot understand it… Ahh well we are all different I suppose but in general I think that men need to get a grip and start sharing the housework… Well in my own opinion anyway 🙂
Yes I know wittering, and off subject again 🙂
Androgoth XXx
Red
/ January 3, 2012Nothing doing. You are actually touching on the next post, although relating to this one. Some ppl seem to think my posts never have anything to do with one another, but you are proving that a falsehood.
My question to the Mates who blather about household chores is always:
Generally, the subject turns at that point to one of shame and introspection about the foundation of the relationship. Harsh? Mayhap, but if it serves the purpose of the wake up call, the work is worthwhile.
Thank you for tying this nicely, despite your claim to wittering! 🙂
Red.
Elyse
/ January 3, 2012The only one that works for me is “Reward Yourself” —
Red
/ January 3, 2012Good choice! 🙂
nigelld
/ January 4, 2012I just don’t write a list, therefore I never have anything to do…..I blo***y wish.
Being a good procrastinator I put writing this comment off until today.
Red
/ January 4, 2012You are such a pip! But you still get it done!