Lists. I started doing them reluctantly, but out of necessity. I’ve touched on that subject before.
They’re more fun now.
I never used to do them because I thought they did me more harm than good. Here was my reasoning: If I started my day by making a list of the things I needed to do that day, for example, then my brain would get stuck in the rut of the list. I’d knock off the things on the list, one by one.
But, if I didn’t think of everything at the time of making the list–maybe you are better at this than me, but I’m way to scatter-brained/ADD (or whatever) to have everything on my mind at that moment—then those missed items would get locked out of my plans. I might end the day having done a lot of trivial things but missed out on something that was most urgent or important.
Maybe it’s the passage of time (I didn’t want to write “getting old” or even “older”) but I finally did succumb to the idea of the list. I now make a list each day of that day’s duties and plans. But I am not a slave to the list. I set myself some rules:
1. Thou shalt not do things in the order they are on your list! I write things down in the order they come to mind so that I don’t miss writing them down. But that is not necessarily the order of their importance. Throughout the day, I work at those things that are important and use the list only as a standby, checking it frequently for what should be crossed off, what still remains, and, of those items, which is most important to tackle next. Things that are routine, i.e., I do every day, never get onto the list; I work my list around those things.
2. Thou shalt not lock the door (or put down the pen) after the list is written! It is to be a living list, with new things being added as they come to mind. That way, I don’t get into the rut mentioned above.
3. Thou shalt throw away yesterday’s list when making today’s list! Does that mean I finished all the things on yesterday’s list? Heck, No! I doubt I’ve ever done that because the list keeps getting things added throughout the day. There are always things left over at the end.
But, if I’ve done my job well, those things left over are probably the least important ones. Just because they’re left over doesn’t suddenly elevate their importance now. So, I do up a whole new list for today, then check yesterday’s list just to see whether any leftover items are worth adding to today’s. More than likely, they’re already on the list but, like I said above, my mind . . . . . (something about aging.)
There’s another reason to throw away the list. It means I can’t use a diary or good notebook for this but rather a scrap of paper (a highly recognizable/colourful one, to be sure). If I used a notebook that stayed with me continuously instead of getting thrown out, yesterday’s items wouldn’t get transferred; they’d just get old. And they’d never get done, because, before long, I wouldn’t be going back that far to check anymore.
Believe me, I have a lot of evidence that this is true, at least for me.
Now, I know a lot of people, especially younger ones, might be appalled at the idea even of using paper rather than a computer to keep track of my duties. But, a list is very personal; different things work for different people. For me, all the above reasons seem to work better on paper than on a computer.
But, there’s one other reason for doing it like this: the pleasure of stroking things off the list when done. “Like ripping off a band-aid,” my OM said to me. Right!
How does deleting a line on the computer compare with that!?
But I also break a rule set not by me but by someone else—a business coach, in fact–who scoffed at the idea of writing something down on the list after it was done, only to stroke it off. As though that showed a lack of discipline, or something.
Being a responsible student, I used to follow that advice. But then I thought: Do I really need to prove my discipline to myself? Heck, if I do something that comes to mind during the day, that never made my list earlier, I’ll treat myself to the pleasure of writing it down and then immediately stroking it off. It’s cathartic and pleasurable!
And healthier than a cinnamon bun.
At least, that’s how I see it . . .
Rent 2 own tip
The housing market has heated up again, almost like a year ago, making it hard for renters to find new accommodations. This is especially hard for people with pets, as many rentals don’t allow pets. A rent 2 own situation is ideal for people with pets. The home is the one you expect to own at the end, and, at Fraser Valley Rent 2 own, we expect you to come through successfully. So, it’s you, not we, who have to live with the consequences of the pets. Within limits, then, we let you make the call on pets.
