I have a secret. I’m a list junkie. I make lists for everything – what I want to accomplish in my day, what chores need to be done, what lessons I’m going to work on with the kids for the day, what my goals are, what things I have to pack, etc. In fact, I often rip off a HUGE piece of butcher paper, stick it on my wall and fill it with long lists of things to accomplish. (Sometimes I scare myself.) The fact is that lists WORK! Here’s 5 reasons that to-do lists work for me: 1. I can see exactly what I’ve accomplished and what I need to do. There’s something powerful about crossing things off the list. It’s so satisfying to see the list of things to finish getting smaller. Visually seeing that I’ve completed that much actually motivates me to get moving and keep moving. Of course, this means that my lists have to be realistic, detailed and explicit. I can’t just put “clean the house.” I need to put “wash bathroom. do dishes”. Then I can chip away! 2. I remember things. Every since I became a mom, I swear my brain has taken a vacation. It’s like a seive and even when I have good intentions, I can’t ever seem to remember things. Writing it down makes sure it doesn’t get forgotten. Adding it to the list means that it will even get done! 3. I can prioritize things. If I just write everything down, I can look at the list and tackle the tasks that are the most important, instead of just doing whatever pops into my head and realizing that I didn’t finish something I really should have! I can cross them off, then get to the less important things on the list. 4. Other people can see my accomplishments and goals. When I use big sheets of paper, everyone else can see. It means that if a kid or my husband wants to help, they can pick something on the list and get it done. It means that we can do tasks as a family and get it finished faster. It means that they can see if I’ve forgotten to add something important, or if I’m getting too ridiculous with my plans. It means they can encourage me as I work away on things. Plus – it tells my husband just how much work I do during my day as a stay/work at home mom! 5. Things get done. Without a list, I piddle away at my day and before I know it – the day is over. With a list, I get things moving and FINISH tasks. My house is cleaner, I am happier, my kids are prioritized. It’s worth it to me. Do you use a to-do list? How does it help you in your day? – Lisa Marie Fletcher blog | facebook | twitter
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