I’m like the fellow in the cartoon, I like to have choices. I have a lot on my plate right now, but I never make To Do lists. They make me feel pressured and my Inner Rebel starts dragging its feet. So instead I write Possibility Lists and things go a lot smoother. The trick for me is to put things on the list early enough so I don’t forget anything and I have plenty of time to choose to do them when the time is right. After a while I get an itch to cross some of the less fun ones off, and I feel a great feeling of satisfaction when I get them accomplished. It’s a simple little trick but it works for me. I like to have choices. 🙂
What About You?
Do you have any tricks for motivating yourself?
I like the idea of possibility lists a lot. Thankyou.
I do write lists from time to time, usually in my head! The main way of motivating myself is to have a carrot – The sewing I want to play with, the blog posts to read, or the coffee with that nice slice of cake…. I must do certain chores before I allow myself those pleasures. I sure get the nasties done pretty quick.
No. My life has mostly settled down to a routine. There is hardly any to do lists needed. I use them when I have to go shopping.
I don’t make ‘major’ lists either….probably the only ‘other’ list I make is for grocery shopping. However I do have a ‘reminder’ list here by the computer so I can see if something that needs to be done that evening or later in the week – REMINDS
Currently the list has:
Put new NOD on home computer……..that will remain there until Sept because I tried to put the new combined subscription on & it’s not needed yet.
Muesli…..that can be crossed off as I’ve changed my mind on the matter (x-ed)
Frid…..completed but that said: TAS/WINZ phone for appt; Bulk bin washing powder
Sat…..7.30pm PRIME channel (which only caught the end of but it will remain on list to remind me again next week) btw it’s Sunday morning here!
The shopping list is on a very small piece of paper to fold up into my jeans pocket….and I’ve just made a new one for the coming week. As I get things bit by bit things will be x-ed out….(I don’t have a car, so I pick things up in minute amounts depending on how many books I’m carrying)
I often come across ‘books’ of past lists….shopping, budget, plans for a future, craft must-do lists’ It’s quite fun to look back and see what I “thought” I might be doing then/future.
I made a very current list yesterday….not a To Do List but rather a string of strange letters linked across to $$…and those same $$ less 2 different % to venue/other are in my kitty!! (no cheques, all cash…even better) 🙂
Evan.
You’re welcome! Hope they help.
Grannymar,
I don’t always do the nasties first, but I do celebrate when I do get them done.
Rummuser,
That’s the way it works for me, too. I use them when I have a number of things to do that aren’t part of my regular routine.
Cathy,
Your reminder lists make sense. That’s basically what my Possibility Lists are, just reminders of things I need or want to do. I’m intrigued by the last list you talk about. I can’t quite visualize it.
I make possible lists & dream-on lists, but for myself only. My mother was the champion maker of lists for the rest of us. Woe to the person that didn’t complete their list.
the last list…….was the list of items I managed to sell at a ‘kind of craft day’. So instead of writing out the full name of the item I just used a sort of shorthand….if you look at my livejournal site – right at the end it shows a mini picture of some yarns that are called ‘D6’
so what the list really meant was not the D6’s of the day but rather the $$ that each sold for. The total then had a couple of other links to the % that venue took for the privilege of being a trader and the 2nd lot of % was the shared amount with me and one other….
convoluted system that worked……which meant that when I counted up the notes and coins it related to something on the sheet
alright I’m tired…..brain dead from todays Uni classes
Brighid,
I’m with you. My lists are for myself alone. 🙂
Cathy,
Thanks for the details. I love hearing about what other people do.