Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Make a list! Life is full and fun and busy!

My daughter is getting married on Saturday!

Moreover, it is unit finals at school this week! Consequently my mind has been full, and I am not getting all the things on my-to do list accomplished! Stopping to do a wedding errand on my way home today, I realized that I left my notebook on the table in the classroom at school to day! I hope someone turns it in, and I can have it back in the morning.

There really is nothing critical in there. It contains no personal information, or sappy love limericks, or anything like that. But, inner-mixed with the lecture notes are lists of "notes to self" reminding me to: send my aunt and uncle's anniversary card; and a list of items that need to be picked up at the store; and my spelling words written over and over and over and over (and over); a tentative schedule of when I am going to get my errands and chores and last minute wedding activities done; and what days I'm staying at school to get my homework for this week done; and a list of blog article ideas that are begging to be written!

It is very old-fashioned and very low tech, but this notebook is my sanity! It still functions when the power goes out. It cannot crash, or get a virus. There are so many great methods for keeping organized, but I have this year returned to some good old-fashioned basics. I have a purse sized paper calendar that I keep ... in my purse, I write entries in pencil so if they change I can erase them and reschedule. I have a little note book that I carry (unless I leave it at school) so that I can make notes, or lists.

My lists are sometimes scribbles, and sometimes concise. Sometimes they look like journal entries. No matter how I put them down, I know the important thing is that I do. So many times have I thought to myself, oh! I will remember that! Then a short time later only remember that I remembered that I was supposed to remember something! I know that I am not alone in this.

In fact, I totally credit my dad with my being a list maker. He was a school custodian for as many years as I was in school, and he always carried a 3x5 top-spiral note pad in his breast pocket. He could just add the next reminder to the bottom of the list, marking off the items as they were completed. When all of the tasks on a page were attended to, he could tear off the page. He taught me about grocery shopping with a list (never go with out one)! Have your list. Know your store. Get in. Get your stuff. Get out. Don't look. Don't wander. I will talk more about grocery shopping in another post.

What a great visual sense of accomplishment it is when I cross things off my list! I like really being able to see what I have done and finished. I have even found myself adding things I have done that were not on the list, just so I could cross them off, and SEE what I had done!


Therefore, I want to encourage you! If you don't yet list, try starting a little one. Start where you are, and just make a list. A grocery list. A list of chores you want to accomplish before lunch. All the steps you take in cleaning the bathroom. Make a list of the types of things it might help you to list. Whatever, it really does not matter. Being a little more organized will make you feel more in control, and help you know which task to approach next.


Go forth and list! And LIVE WELL!

Love Suzi

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