My day tends to fill itself up. I wake up at 5 for my workout, fully intending to get the three hundred things on my DO list all checked off by the end of the day. How is it that come 9 pm I’m yawning and completely discouraged? I checked off five things but added seven more. It feels like a backwards race, only I have to move forward. There are a couple of ways to tackle this, or at least a couple I’m currently focusing on. One? Put fewer things on my list. Or conversely, add more – but make them smaller items. “Brush teeth” becomes “Brush front right molars” “Brush lower front teeth” ad infinitum. I could spend all day making my list and NEVER get through any of it.

I’m reminded of Frog and Toad (remember the kids’ book?) when Toad made a list. That list was blown away and he sat down defeated. He couldn’t do anything because he KNEW that chasing the list wasn’t on the list, and he couldn’t remember what else was on it.  Frog helped, or tried to. He chased the list for Toad. And finally, he just sat with him. Until Frog remembered, as the sun was going down, that “going to bed” must have been on the list – to which Toad perked up, agreed, and they trotted off down the road to tuck Toad into bed.

I wonder if he made another list the next day.

At least Toad had put the very important things on his list. Which brings me to what exactly goes on the list. I can add things like “make coffee” or “go to sleep” but those are fillers, procrastination and time wasting even to put them ON the list – I know I’ll do them. Nope, I think what I need to concentrate on is putting items on the DO list that absolutely, completely HAVE to get done – and might not stick in my head or feel critical. Things that will move my life forward, get me closer to my goals

If my list has three items on it each day, three important “oh I don’t want to do that” goals? And I get them crossed off? I’ll feel like a badass.

Heck, if I can MAKE such a list I’ll feel like a badass. Time to get rolling.