Tuesday, May 11, 2010

The list

Lists are a big part of my life. I'm forever writing them. Shopping lists, craft projects, websites, cleaning that needs done, home improvement projects and the list goes on and on. I'm a great planner and organizer. However I'm not good at following through. This leads to frustration and disappointment in myself because I come up with great ideas and then never accomplish them.
Here's my current to do list.
That's right. It's empty. I'm not going to make any more lists of things I want to get done. I'll adjust, adapt and take what comes my way.

28 comments:

Bossy Betty said...

You go, baby!! I have a post-in-progress about lists. I have been thinking about them a lot and then I found your post here. Great minds, huh?

Joanne Olivieri said...

I think you are on to something here. I make lists because I forget everything, yet forgetting at times may be a good thing :)

BeadedTail said...

Now that sounds like a great idea! I make lists so I don't forget anything and although it can be daunting to look at, I do love crossing things off.

Lin said...

When I find myself overwhelmed, I start making lists. If I don't get that all down on paper, I start to sleepwalk, believe it or not. I get overwhelmed and it manifests itself by sleepwalking. Go ahead, you may laugh now.

Anonymous said...

You just need to send my pictures, the albion news and granpas obituary.......lol slacker!

The Urban Cowboy said...

I'm a list maker myself. Maybe just write the MOST important things you want to get done. Or maybe not. Sometimes it is a good thing to "drift" with the current.

tahtimbo said...

I'm a master list-maker, but the only problem is: I keep losing my lists. I go to all that trouble of making a list and it up and walks away. Where do they go? Maybe I'll make a list of all the possible places they could go.

Sandee said...

I agree! Why set yourself up for failure. Way to go Ann. This is the same reason I don't do New Years Resolutions.

I'll get our buddy Duke is very happy about this too.

Have a terrific day. :)

Unknown said...

How wonderful to discover someone who writes their capital 'T's' like me!!!! I keep being told my T's are like J's.

Like your idea too ... have you ever heard of Janet Street-Porter? She has written a book with all of these kinds of ideas - even how to write your CV at 58 she advises never put your age on a CV - it's no-one else's business!!!

Anonymous said...

I never make lists on a day to day basis but for an extended project then a "To Do" is a must - prioritized with each task detailed with it's specifics like contact phone numbers or measurements etc.

gayle said...

I have to have a list or I get really antsy!

Kim said...

I'm always making lists! That is how I remember things when I have so much going on in my life! The problem is....when I lose the list...yikes!

Good luck with yours! :)

June Zach said...

We tend to make a long "to do list" but only to accomplish a few. Well, come what may is really not my style however it sometimes work for me though. :)

VanillaSeven said...

LOL. You are not alone ann :) That's why sometimes a little pressure is god to keep us moving

Rick (Ratty) said...

Your new way can be a good way. I usually just do things as I think of them. It makes things simpler, but sometimes they can get out of control.

Anonymous said...

I make lists every monday for work...well...actually several lists.
The first list is the to do by the end of this week list. The next: Do by the end of the month. The next: on deck...meaning it will very soon be incorporated into either of the other two lists.

Insane? Probably. but I would be so lost without my lists!

Russ said...

Sorry. I am old and I need my list or nothing would get done. Only computer slots. That might not be a bad idea.

Marg said...

That is my kind of list. Empty. I don't make lists because I lose the lists or at least have to go find the list and by the time I have found the list, I could have accomplished a whole bunch of stuff.
I just do what I can until I get too tired and then do the rest the next day.
Have a great day Ann.

Unknown said...

So, what you are really saying is that you cannot even accomplish what is on that list, which is doing nothing. Of course, I suppose I should applaud your honesty, and since I am such a wonderful person, I will. Therefore, consider your honest hereby applauded.

Unknown said...

I'm a list maker too. Especially at work. Sometimes I'm able to work the lists but other times I feel the list works me. Enjoy your freedom without the list!

Buggys said...

So you've figured out how to manage your self disappointment...don't create it in the first place! Perfect To Do list - all done.

allotments4you said...

good for you Ann...I'm not a list maker as i then just get depressed when I see what I haven't got done...oh the lists are always in my head but if it's not in print then no-one but me knows what didn't get done today...or tomorrow...or even next week!!!!

Leeuna said...

I used to be a list maker and at the end of the day, if everything hadn't been checked off I felt so inadequate. Now I don't make lists, I just live in the moment. Of course, not very much gets done, but pffft! Who cares. The empty list is a good idea.

Unknown said...

Yeah, I am a "To-do-list-writer"!!
I can find four-year-old-lists laying around and see just how little I have accomplished!
But I do get some things done!

Thanks for stopping by. Elisabet was very impressed to get birthday greetings in English all the way from America!

Hugs,
Anna

Audrey said...

I tried making lists, but just can't seem to stick to them! Some days I think I must have adult ADD or something.

Ann said...

Bossy Betty great minds yes indeed :)

Poetic shutterbug I forget everything too :0

Beaded tail I just get mad at myself because I don't cross enough off

Lin I've never had a problem with sleepwalking. I think you should keep your lists going

Amanda I'm not a slacker I just haven't gotten around to sending your stuff yet. I've been trying to find something good to put in, yeah that's it. OK I promise by the end of the week

Urban cowboy I'll never be able to give up the list but it's sure nice to think about it some times

Tahtimbo I don't lose mine I just don't follow through. That would be a handy list to have for when your next list disappears...lol

Sandee I gave up New Years resolutions years ago, who needs em

Kloggers hmm never had anyone tell me my T's looked like J's before. I thought everyone wrote T's like that, what do I know :)

Grace you sound like one organized lady to me

Gayle I get antsy when I'm not working on my list

Kim my problem is I want to get it all done and I want it done now. The lists are so big I don't know where to start and so I do nothing

JuneZach Come what may isn't accomplishing much for me either so I guess things aren't going to get done around here no matter what...lol

Vanilla Seven pressure, that's it, someone needs to make me mad, that usually gets me moving

Ratty that wouldn't work for me because my mind just sort of shoots off in 3 different directions. I never know which way to go

Alterity Button Jewelry I make lots of lists at work and I follow them quite well it's at home that I have a problem

Russ list or no list once I get home from work nothing is getting accomplished. I'm either getting lazy or just getting too old to keep up :)

Marg I spend too much time contemplating the list and dreaming about it all being done.

FishHawk well I thank you ever so much for that warming round of applause. I feel so special :)

DKMiller I honestly don't think I'll ever be free from the lists but it's a nice thought

Buggys YEAH, I FINALLY finished a list :)

allotments4you that's my problem. it's much easier when you can't see the written words that show you how much you didn't do

Leeuna inadequate is a perfect description for how lists make me feel

Anna I've had piles of lists here and kept making new ones to add to the pile. Glad Elisabet liked her birthday greetings

Audrey I don't stick to them either I might have adult ADD myself, my brain never wants to focus on just one thing for very long...lol

Reeni said...

I'm addicted to list making! I have little notebooks all for different lists. I'm very forgetful! And I have a million and one things going on and ideas that pop into my head and right back out again. It would be nice to not be a slave to them anymore!

Ann said...

I'm sort of that way too my problem is that once I write things down I don't go back and check I just keep making new lists.

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