I love making lists – it makes me feel organized, efficient, gives me a sense of accomplishment.
Grocery lists are the best – going to the store without my list invariably costs me more and some essentials are forgotten – which means another trip to the store.
Another essential list is errand day. Make the list, plan the route, estimate the time it will take and if I beat the clock, the reward is a coffee break. A real coffee break, which means sitting down, and savoring every sip while I watch the clouds glide by. Yes, this one I really like!
Now it gets a bit murky – having a to do list for action items relating to work sounds great. Yes, it keeps me organized – except when I forge to put something on the list. Yes, it keeps me efficient, except when I spend time finding my list that has somehow become buried in the to-do stack of papers, articles, notes and sundry other looks-like-a-really-good-idea.
As I sort through the to-do stack, I discover all sorts of gems – Oh yea, now I remember what I wanted to do with this! That’s a great idea. I’ll put that on my list, when I find my list. For now, I’ll start a new pile. Before long, I have 3 different piles of great ideas, articles to read, suggestions for my webinar next week, an hour has passed and I still haven’t found my list.
This experience has opened my eyes to the reality that perhaps I’m not as organized as I thought I was and that’s an ego ouch. Ideally, I’m really organized. Reality, okay, I’m mostly organized!
Today, I’m liking the concept of acceptance – accepting myself as I am, and acknowledge that fact that what I love best about making a list is throwing it in the trash! Of course, that means everything on the list is complete—so maybe what I really should have is a To-done List!
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