To Do or Not to Do or When to Do

So many things to do in life. We fill the hours with these things and try not to get lost in the void. We have projects and hobbies and appointments. We have repairs that need to be completed.  Events need to be planned. Purchases that we need to remind ourselves to make. We need to reach out to family and friends.  Meal plan and prep needs to be a thing. In addition to all this, some of us make it even more fun by throwing in an 8-hour workday! Oh! Don’t forget to make time to exercise!? If only there was a way to…

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​keep track of these projects.  If only there was something, you could use that would tell you what to do next or how many things are left to be done…if only.  As you ponder this conundrum your husband/wife/S.O. looks at you and says simply… “did you make a list?”  You pause… give them “The Look” while you try desperately to think of a witty comeback… and when your brain finally concedes and says “I got nuthin” ... you simply stick out your tongue! (Yes, I am that mature). Ok! Make A List.  Your new purpose in life at that very moment is to make a list. 

​You know how to make lists.  You’ve already started the process.    There are post-it notes EVERYWHERE. You have scribbled notes on the backs of receipts, made voice memos on your phone, used the sticky notes feature on your computer and left reminders on the refrigerator white board. You even put up a cork board complete with colored push pens.  And finally, at some point you will remember why you have string tied around 2 fingers! So, all you need to prep for the list making task are the right tools. After researching and weighing the pros and cons of each item, you purchase the perfect list taking notebook with colored pens and/or pencils, you find yourself wondering “Is there an app for this?” 

Now, you gather up all your little notes and scraps of paper and you are ready to put pen to paper! (Regular paper, not your pristine list making notebook!) You write everything down... you organize, prioritize, and reorganize, you bullet point and numerate.  The list shrinks and grows as you eliminate and add items.  After a ridiculous amount to time you declare the scribbling on the page is now… “a list”.  You are now ready to transfer the list to your brand new Everbusy List-o-matic 5000 Note System with audible reminders.  Not only is it shock proof and waterproof, if you leave it in the sun, the page colors won’t fade. But wait, there’s more! It also comes with a matching emergency notepad, a step tracker, and a cup holder.  (Only the best will do for your lists.)  Slowly and painstakingly you begin to write. Careful to dot each “i” and cross each “t” using your best possible penmanship you complete the list including a schedule and check boxes. (queue celebratory angelic music – probably harps.) 

​Now you take a breath because you are organized and prioritized and scheduled. You exhale a grateful sigh knowing that all is right in the world because no matter what happens, you have your list.  You know where to be, who to be with, when to be there, how long to stay and what to do once you get there.  After a few moments, the afterglow smile and sense of peace slowly fade from your face as you realize that someone has got to do all the stuff on the list and that someone is YOU!! You almost succumb to a downward spiral into full blown panic. Luckily, your List-o-matic 5000 gently chimes.  You cautiously open it to the current time slot. You read it and relax.  You know there are dozens of things to get done.  You also know that right now, it is time to grab that book you’ve been meaning to finish, a glass, and that new bottle of wine you’ve been waiting to try. It’s time to head upstairs for a tranquil bubble bath. Hey! You put it on the list, it is happening!

It seems like everything and nothing happens at the same time.  Now that a lot of us are home more we find ourselves with an ever-growing, ever-changing amount to tasks to be done.  Add to that being at home we tend to notice all the little projects we’ve been unintentionally neglecting. Painting, cleaning, repairing, and reorganizing the shelf/panty/room are all tasks that vie for our attention.  We feel busier than ever with new tasks we never expected to take on.  For some, homeschooling and keeping young ones engaged and busy all while working from home and still hoping to carve out some “me time” is now a way of life.  For others boredom threatens to take over, but for others depression may set in.  When boredom & depression become the norm even the most engaging tasks seem to hold no excitement.  If we are to grow and move forward, we each must figure out how to navigate our way back to a new norm that works for us.

If the List-o-matic 5000 doesn’t work for you, continue searching until you find something that does.  If you aren’t finding the answers in your head, it may be time to look elsewhere.  There is nothing wrong with not having the answers, just don’t stop searching. Reach out to friends and family the old-fashioned way… use the phone!!!  Hearing a loved one’s voice can do wonders for your moody moments. Striking up conversation with the eldest or youngest member of you family can be enlightening!  Our elders may need to hear from us to know they are still loved. We can all learn something listening to a story told from a 5-year old’s perspective!  On meetup.com you can find groups you never knew existed.  You will find yourself asking “People do that??? It’s really a thing?”  Social Media can lead you to new discoveries, new hobbies new and old friends.  It is a starting place to explore what is new and different.  If you are luckily enough you might even find your “People”.  You never know from who or from where the suggestion will come from that sparks you on a new adventure. 

​Lastly and most importantly remember, we make plans and life gets in the way.  Don’t worry about what happens if you make a list and you don’t complete today’s tasks. There is no need to panic and trash your list.  Simply move those undone items to another page.  If you run out of pages remember the Everbusy List-o-matic 5000 Note System with audible reminders is also available on a quarterly or annual subscription basis.

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