The Beauty of the to-doNE List

Hey there! Life is a little different these days, isn’t it?!? So many people working from home, furloughed, or laid off. So many kids looking at their new-to-homeschooling parents. So many masks and gloves and messages to Wash Your Hands!

For me, the struggle has been very, very real. I’m trying to maintain a certain level of quality as a mom, wife, sister, daughter, friend, and writer during this bizarre and stressful time. My confidence is often quite low.

The days bleed together and by dinner time I have this terrible feeling of inadequacy, and a sense that I accomplished nothing that day. I’m most productive in the morning, the satisfaction at having done stuff wears off by the end of the day.

I combat these spiraling thoughts with one simple tool: a to-doNE list. It’s basically a to-to list in reverse. As I make progress on a project or finish a task, I write it down.

The satisfaction the to-doNE list brings is immediate and bountiful. When I start to get down on my lack of productivity, the list is there to remind me of all I’ve done. My confidence increases, my happiness increases, and I am better able to wear the many hats my life requires.

When my accomplishments are staring back at me from my journal, I have a sense of alignment. I can see my actions are lining up with my values, reaffirming my self-identity. This is especially helpful for me when when the world is upside-down!

Try it out and let me know how it goes!

Wishing you health and happiness,