Have you ever had one of those days? The day when the To-Do List is long.
Nothing is complete.
It’s as if the day knows how much I have to do and is fighting against me to get any of it finished.
Stages of Productivity
When my kids were little, I remember several times feeling like nothing was ever done. Like those first days when the little ones were learning to crawl or walk, and all of a sudden, the whole house was impossible to keep tidy. My focus shifted to how to keep things not intended for little hands out of reach.
Or, as toddlers, they started making “art” with various stickers, paper, crayons and glue sticks that left evidence of their creativity long after the art project was complete. I saw a house covered with bits of art, leaving a paper trail for me to pick up that day.
Now that we’ve reached the early elementary years, I thought I would have more time to get tasks off my sometimes-lengthy to-do list.
Yet, as summer gets into full swing, I find that my hoped-for plan of tackling projects and getting the house back together after a hectic few weeks is going by the wayside. I always see things to do, projects to complete, and a house that sometimes feels chaotic. But instead of feeling overwhelmed, which can be challenging for this task-oriented mom, I use the following tactics to help me feel less burdened by the growing task list.
When the to-do list is getting too long
- Take a deep breath. When the day is feeling out of control. Or I am not accomplishing what I intend. I take a deep breath and close my eyes to relax, if only for a moment.
- Tackle small tasks to finish a few “easy” things.
- Make a reverse to-do list. I jot down everything I did to give myself credit for the things I accomplished in a day. Even menial tasks or unplanned activities make the day seem more productive when I see them written down at the end of the day.
- Delegate tasks to the kids. This is undoubtedly easier as the kids get older and more capable. My kids surprise me when I challenge them. And they get to help me complete the task to the best of their ability. I’m learning they can do a lot more than I usually ask. A mental note to myself to ask for more help with daily tasks.
- As some say, “This too shall pass.” I remind myself that it is for a season. I would rather have projects undone and a messy house, but happy kids who had fun with me. Sometimes the to-do list needs to be a guide for the day. And sometimes, the to-do list must take a back seat to the busy family life that needs my attention.
- There’s always tomorrow. (At least for most of the regular items that make their way to the task list.) I need to complete them at some point. I can often wait until tomorrow, when I wake up to a new day.
Let this day be something good
Mac Anderson wrote: “This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you have left behind… let it be something good.”
So, my to-do list is long on some days and short on others. I try to make something good of the day I given to me.
