A finished to do list is a daily struggle for moms. Organized people do cross off a lot on their to do lists. Successful people make sure they have a finished to do list each week. Homeschool moms, stay at home moms, working moms all have one thing in common. We struggle to get our to do list finished.
I am convinced it is because they work at getting their to do list finished. Getting through a to do list takes effort and planning. Marking items off the list will not happen if it is not put as a priority. Life is busy. Releasing stress is just as important. I know when I do get my to do list finished, or at least finish a few items it stays on my mind. That creates me stress. Schedule Time to get things done.
As a busy homeschool mom of boys I never have “spare time”. Time in my day is what I make of it. My to do list can be written out. I have to have a plan and use it. If I do not use my plan then my list is just that….a list.
Look at an overall schedule for the day, week and month. Priorities come first. Basic household duties come first. Laundry, dishes and meals are the daily priorities. My to do list time happens right after I finish my priorities.
Follow up is the important step. Creating a time to finish a to do list is great. Actually doing the list at the time set aside is better.
Electronic or Paper To Do List
Decide if a paper or electronic list will work best. For me, I am not electronic at all. I forget if the list is not in front of me. On a app if I mark off my list there is no satisfaction. When the reward is not there then finishing will not happen for me. Paper is the way that I make my lists.
Try both to see which style works best to help get as much done on the to do list as possible. The benefit of making a paper list is the ability to physically mark an item off the list, and at the end tear up the list to show completion. When lists get too long they feel as if we will never get them done, then they do not get worked on. Accomplishment can be shown in many ways.
The benefit of an app to keep a list is the ability to update the list to keep it going. The convenience of an app ishaving the list at all times. Accomplishment from the crossed off number of task will identify which way works best.
Use a Routine to Finish a To Do List
To do lists are sometimes a lot of the same stuff. Switch to a routine on weekly tasks. Then mark it off the to do list.
Systems and routines help a lot with organization. Doing something at the same time each day. Regular routines are good task management systems. For example, our trash day is each week on Wednesday. Each Tuesday evening after 9:00 pm my husband takes it down to the curb. Taking down the trash at the same time, on the same day each week is how we manage this task. If we miss a day then our trash piles up until the next week and it becomes a whole thing that reminds never to miss that routine.
Using the same example of our trash, my husband has a routine. We gave our oldest the responsibility of bringing the can up. He is supposed to bring it up the same day which is Wednesday. My son does not have a routine that reminds him to bring up the trash. When he does not bring up the trash can on the day we ask, then our trash builds up in the spot where the can should be.
A simple solution to the problem is to bring the trash can up each Wednesday after work. Regular scheduling of the trash is why this is marked off of our to do list each week.
Ben Franklin was such a good time manager. Many successful people are good time managers. They always seem very organized without much effort. I am convinced there is effort on their part, we just do not see their daily systems and to do lists.
Do you prefer paper lists or electronic? Do you schedule time or just do the list when time allows?
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