Organizing Tip of Week 9: The To Do List

Use a "To Do List." Each day, think of 2-4 things that you must get done (or definitely want to do) that day. If you have more things than that to do, list all the stuff you think of that you need to do on one long list. Then from that list, choose several things that you feel you can accomplish for that day and work from that list only. This will help keep you from feeling so overwhelmed and also give you that sense of accomplishment and feeling that you have made some progress. Prioritize your long list--set up a timeline for the things that don't need to necessarily be done this week. Don't neglect to add some FUN to that list!

Here's my list for Today:
A--record auto deposit in checkbook
A--prepare Sunday School lesson
B--draft post about 3-day Breast Cancer walk and get pics from Jan
C--watch some of Olympics

A, B, C are the prioritizing symbols. In your list, A items are things you absolutely must do, B are things you definitely want to do but that aren't absolutely necessary to be done today, and C are things it would be nice to do today but if not, oh well.

Gerard's list looks like this and he writes it on a little white board every day:
clean computer room and bedroom
Fitworks
Go Sox!

We have simple lives right now with everything normal. My list is short enough that I don't need to write it down. I just make a mental note in my mind and fortunately, my mind remembers. This is how I like it! At this point, the normal routine stuff I just remember to do without having to write it down. When I get really old, like my dad was in his late 80s, then I'll probably have to write down everything like I did for him.

To see what my dad's daily To Do List was like,here's the link:
Harry's To Do List