Picked up a random poetry book From the crowded shelf. Quick easy hour read: Delight and wonder. Then, Found…
Reality Check: To-Do List Progress
How are you really doing with your SMART Goals and your daily to-do lists?
If you are finding success then BRAVO! I salute you!
If you are still struggling like me then please know it is okay!
What are some other strategies we can use to help ourselves? Lots of professionals have told me that it is only human to be constantly battling success and failure. Plus, we cannot expect that what works for one person will work for someone else.
I have today off from teaching thanks to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. My mind woke me up at 5 am because I was worried about my daughters being responsible for their own morning routines. Silly! They are 9 and 11. They continue to prove to me that they do not need my help anymore to get ready for school. Now remembering and actually doing their after school chores is a different story.
I got up and went to my computer. I made my youngest daughter a morning checklist, even added colors to the spreadsheet. I printed it and taped it to the pantry door so she would see it when she got up. Next, I watched some morning news, ate a sweet blueberry bagel, and returned to bed at 6:30 am. At 7:20, I heard my husband and daughter up, so I dragged myself out of bed to go make sure they had seen the list. I was too tired to engage in conversation so I went back to bed. I slept for another two hours before waking to the sound of my daughters arguing over breakfast cereals. What a morning!
Since then, I have been sitting in front of my laptop for about two hours. I have my to-do list next to me on the couch. Number one on my list today: Stick to list! Ummm… so I have already failed, but I am sure you guessed that would happen.
Is it that I have too many things on my list (I don’t think so.)? Am I too distracted by things I see online (probably)? Am I setting myself up for failure (maybe)?
Today’s helpful hints for succeeding at your goals:
- Prioritize items on your list by color or number.
- Set a timer for each task
- Do not look at other things online until you have completed one item. This gives you a mini reward. Then allow yourself only a 5-minute break before moving to the next item. For example, I should give myself 60 minutes to write a new blog post, including editing, then 5 minutes to browse on social media. Then, at most, 60 minutes to edit my memoir followed by 30 minutes to get lunch. You get the idea!
- Check off each item as you go. You will feel more accomplished if you can see a check mark or a line across the item.
- Continue until you have completed each item for your day.
Whatever you need to get done, please know you will get it done by taking one thing at a time.
Bonus resources from Amazon and :
-
To-Do Link by beetrootSOUP (free download)
- To Do Reminder with Alarm
Manpreet Patil (free download)
***Remember, I am still an Amazon Associate. When you buy one of my suggested items through my link, you support me at no extra cost to you.
Now I can cross this task off my to-do list!