Thursday, May 06, 2010

Check Lists

I am a chronic list-maker. Every morning (or night, before I go to bed) I make a list of all the things I'd like to have done at the end of the day. It's usually pretty ridiculously long and contains a lot of items that even I know won't get checked off by the end of the week, let alone the end of the day. But I make lists anyways. Bonus points if the lists are on pretty paper. And then I get a nice healthy dose of defeat when I realize that the day is done and maybe one or two things have been checked off my list. So I take the list from my previous day, re-write if for the following day, add a few more items and doze off with the goal to finish my entire list. Repeat scenario.

So, guess what? I'm going to start making my list during the course of my day. It will be my reality check list.

Here's mine so far for today:

Change the sheets on Cash's bed (because he wet it. again.) Check!

Bathe the kids because while I was putting said sheets into the washer, they were playing a game called "Wipe your jam-covered toast in your hair". Check!

Clean up 11 (yes, ELEVEN) eggs off the kitchen floor. Check!

Re-plant the pot of herbs that Oscar ripped out. Check!

Clean up the powdered cheese from a box of mac 'n' cheese that Cash was trying to "help" me make for lunch (powdered cheese has a way of floating through the air and coating everything in orange). Check!

Now, if I can just get Maggie out the door to school, and the boys down for naps, I could have a good solid hour and a half to work on my other list:

Clean the bathrooms
Vacuum entire house
Fold laundry
Weed garden
Make a batch of home made yogurt
Write and mail Mother's Day cards
Clean out and wash the car
Wipe out kitchen cupboards/drawers
Sew quilt for Maggie's bed
Make new pillow covers for couch throw pillows
etc.
etc.
etc.

And that doesn't even start to touch my "Life Goals" list, which includes lofty aspirations such as:

Learn a second language
Run a half marathon
Write/Illustrate a children's book
Learn to play the guitar or harp (or both!)
Go on a Humanitarian vacation
Own Chickens




Sheesh, thinking about all that makes me tired. Maybe I'll go take a nap, myself... I can make a new list for tomorrow- I have an awful lot of pretty paper.

7 comments:

Schmath said...

You do too much stuff. If I were you, that list would only have 2 tasks max. Everything else would be in the optional section. Or maybe my list would be for the whole week, not just one day. If I changed sheets and cleaned up eggs, I'd let the jam rot in the kids' hair, cuz that's more than 2 things. Actually, I wouldn't clean up eggs because that's what the dog is for. So I'd wash the hair, but forget about the macaroni and the plant.

Jocelyn said...

I feel the same way! I always have a mental (if not written) list of goals for the day, and it seems like none of it gets done. I've been wanting to start an "accomplishment list" just to show myself that I actually do get a few things done in a day, but the idea sounded pretty pathetic. I know the feeling, though. I have so many things I would like to do and absolutely no time to do it.

Although I've never had to clean up 11 eggs. My sympathy goes out to you.

Jen said...

i rewrite my lists too! but.. this has got me thinking. i should do my list in a journal but write the reality list next too it.

For example.. on my list: pick up flower at flower shop, drop charlie off at the bus, take kids to preschool. REALITY: while picking up flower at flower shop, Isaac took charlie's homework and reading book out of his backpack, so that after I dropped charlie off at the bus, and took the kids to preschool, found said homework and reading book on the floor of the car. AHHHH!

Teriney said...

Your daily to do is surprisingly similar to mine;)

sarah said...

I love lists too! I think we got that from dad. Well mom too. We're just a list family.

Erin said...

My list consists of things that actually make me feel like I got a lot done during the day - shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, eat lunch, play with Wesley on the floor. Then there are other errands I have to run as well and chores around the house. If those get checked off great! If not, there's always tomorrow.

What sort of pretty paper do you have??? My lists are on old paper pads from realtors or from vendors at work. :/

Grandma Kristi said...

Have five (5) beautiful children and watch them grow into intelligent, fascinating, and oh-so-clever adults with equally amazingly beautiful, intelligent and fascinating children of their own...Check!!!
Love, Mom