To Do Lists

I am a to-do list fan. I make all kinds of lists, all the time~ When I was younger the lists were compulsive.. if I wrote it down I didn't stop til the list had every item crossed off. Then I had a baby and found that I often moved items from today's list that didn't get finished -to tomorrow's list. Then I had another baby and everyday's list was new --if I thought of it on Monday and didn't get it done.. it didn't go back on the list until I thought of it again.... Now 10 years later, I am back to feeling that once it makes my to-do list, it stays until it is done -although I am much less structured about how long that should take.

With my jewelry party tonight.. my to-do list yesterday was pretty long. I was really my list from Friday that I expected to have all of Saturday (until 7pm baseball game) and all of Sunday to complete. With the change in our schedule and Jackson deciding to play tournament basketball Saturday - I was left with just Sunday. I was optimistic about completing everything on the list, but realistically started with the most important.


My list looked like this:

• go through shoe basket
• clear off wet bar
• clean downstairs bathroom
• finish laundry from hallway (after 7pm for energy savings)
• clear long counter in kitchen
• clean off old desk
• move computer --Jonathan will do this for me when he gets home at 3
  
• declutter/organize items from LR bookcases--finished today
  
• sweep/mop stairs/FR and middle level
• tidy ledge area
• bake brownies for party
• grocery shop for necessities only --at least the list is made
  
• clean off end table shelf

I also knew going into the day that I was exhausted from the last 5 busy days and tomorrow starts another 4 packed days.. so I took the morning to read the paper, hang out with my husband, read the rest of my new book and enjoy some coffee & the doughnuts my husband got me for breakfast. My deadline was 1 pm and at 12:59 I started on my list. My goal was to follow Fly-Lady's 15 minute cleaning plan.. set the timer, do something for 15 minutes, repeat, repeat, set the timer for 15 minutes and take that as a break. So every hour you are actually "breaking" for 15 minutes.. I use that time to drink water, use the restroom, play with the dogs/kids, whatever.

Of course I took a few other breaks.. watching some of the Giants game with Steven (go Timmy!) and getting sucked into facebook & my google reader. I made dinner for my family.

I am happy with what I accomplished, should be able to get the rest done this morning, between the academic awards, working and life... ahh... when does summer vacation start again?