28 and snowing this morning. It's not supposed to get any warmer, but the snow has stopped for now.
Lists. Do you make them?
When I was a working woman I made many lists, for all kinds of things. Priority lists at work--I even had a series of folders organized by color for priority: red for top of the list, then orange, yellow, and so on. It did help keep me on track so that I didn't just tackle the things I wanted to do, leaving the harder things for later. The list below includes the following: tree trimming; asbestos in boiler room; janitor meeting; finish annual (huge) ADA report for the Department of Justice; interview new security officer; finish letters to bar certain people from the libary (an event that happens more than you'd think, because of behavior issues); fire drill date; safety meeting; humidity issues at a branch library; Fibernet (no idea what that was about, probably internet issues) ; carryover budget requests. Do you wonder why I wanted to retire, LOL?
At home, I made lists too. Grocery shopping, of course, although many times I didn't bother, just stopped off at the store on my way home. Which resulted in many duplicates in the cupboards. To-do lists for home projects, storytelling, gardens. My husband isn't a list kind of guy, just wanders from one thing to another, and expects me to keep us organized. Sometimes, I have to admit, he resents that. He doesn't always want to do the things that are priority to me, and I have learned to let go--I can be on the OCD side I know, so I will wait--and sometimes wait and wait and wait--for when he's ready to get on with whatever the thing is I had at the top of my list.
Today, I'm really not as list-driven. I tend to keep my lists in my head now, and only write them down when it seems like there's too big a pile to keep straight in my brain. With no storytelling in my life now, a huge lot of to-do items are gone--things like creating promotion materials and mailing them out, scheduling performances and sending out contracts and invoices, researching stories, practicing stories, packing for trips, keeping up an online presence in social media, responding to questions on line and in phone calls, interviews, and on and on. I did not realize how much of my time was devoted to some part of my storytelling career.
These days it's eBay and booths, and putting up or preparing food, that occupy most of my time. I try to list on eBay every morning, and pack sales almost every afternoon. Except Saturdays. That day I do not deal with packages because I just need a break. Soon it will be garden time and there will need to be lists made again. But for the moment, I am list-free.
I kinda like this feeling.
My wife keeps a grocery list and when I go out if I need something, I'll write it down or I'll forget it. :) That's a lot of work for Ebay but I'm sure that you have some kind of system to make it run smoothly for you. Have a wonderful day and stay safe.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, a lot of my life revolves around lists. Sometimes I put something on my life I've already done, just so I can cross it off! -Jenn
ReplyDeleteI can imagine for a teacher, lists are imperative. And I used to do the same thing--writing it down just to cross it off. Felt like I was accomplishing something!
DeleteI write lists at work, more to remember to do it than prioritize. At home, I only write it down if I want to be sure someone else here sees it so he knows it must be done. Sometimes that works... love and hugs
ReplyDeleteI always carried a folded up piece of paper in my pocket at work on which I jotted down anything I needed to remember; when your working with small people with autism you can't leave them to record things properly or attend to what needs doing. Nowadays, apart from an occasional shopping list, I'm list-free. Whoopee!
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