To Do List
I have the world’s dumbest brain.
You see, I recently started writing up a To Do list every day to keep myself on task. I’m lazy and easily distracted, but I’m also incapable of being happy in a messy house. It’s a terrible condition to have.
The To Do list is like magic. Aside from the last two weeks–getting the kids’ sleeping issues ironed out–my house has looked pretty good most of the time. Well, okay, it’s still a bit crazy here, but it’s happy crazyland, not utter chaos and mayhem and depression and filth crazyland.
Whenever I’m tidying up around the house, I am usually like a gnat. I want to fold and put away laundry, so I’ll fold it up and take one of the stacks to the room it belongs in, and then I’ll notice Grace’s sheets need changed, so I’ll do that, and then when I toss them in the laundry basket, I’ll see that there are a few toys in the hallway, so I’ll pick those up and toss them in the living room, only to notice that Emmy has strewn Cheerios all around her high chair, so I’ll sweep those up, and when I put the broom away next to the freezer, I’ll remember that the chicken needs to be put in bags and frozen, so I’ll start that, but then Emmy will need to be changed, so I’ll have to wash my hands, and as I’m doing that, I’ll see that the soap dispenser needs filled…
You get the picture. I do not think I have ADD, since I made it through school with adequate grades and very little struggle, but I have a wildly undisciplined brain. It’s like a very hyper toddler.
So. I started the To Do list. It lives on my fridge. I’ve tried the To Do list many times before, but I kept losing the stupid list. So this one does not move from the fridge. Ever.
I am an amazing list-maker. Most people have To Do lists that look like this:
-Clean kitchen.
-Wash clothes.
-Clean floors.
That’s kind of a lot of work, if you think about it. But it’s only three items. You get those done, you’ve done a lot of work, but it looks like all you did was lie around the house all day. There’s nothing inspiring about crossing off those three items.
So I do two things. First, I break down every task into it the most minuscule components possible. Now, a rookie might do this:
-Wash dishes.
-Wipe counters.
-Do three loads of laundry.
-Put away three loads of laundry.
-Sweep floors.
-Mop floors.
It’s a good start, but it could be so much better:
-Unload clean dishes.
-Put away clean dishes.
-Load dishwasher.
-Run dishwasher.
-Hand wash remaining dishes.
-Put away dishes.
-Run a load of laundry.
-Fold a load of laundry.
-Put away a load of laundry.
-Run a load of laundry.
-Fold a load of laundry.
-Put away a load of laundry.
-Run a load of laundry.
-Fold a load of laundry.
-Put away a load of laundry.
-Sweep kitchen floor.
-Sweep bathroom floor.
-Mop kitchen floor.
-Mop bathroom floor.
But here’s the thing. It looks a little redundant. You need to break it up with other things. That brings me to my second tactic. Put things on your list that you’ve already done. It takes me like two hours to wake up in the morning. We’re lucky the kids are still alive by 10:00. Do you think I’ve made a To Do list? Hah!
So, by the time I’ve gotten to the daily listmaking, I’ve already accomplished so much that it needs to be written down.
I also add in things that would happen even if I didn’t make a list.
So, by the time I wake up at 10:00, I can already cross off a quarter of my list:
-Make breakfast.
-Change kids.
-Feed kids.
-Drink shake.
-Unload clean dishes.
-Put away clean dishes.
-Load dishwasher.
-Run dishwasher.
-Change kids.
-Hand wash remaining dishes.
-Put away dishes.
-Take vitamins.
-Run a load of laundry.
-Fold a load of laundry.
-Put away a load of laundry.
-Change kids.
-Run a load of laundry.
-Fold a load of laundry.
-Put away a load of laundry.
-Make lunch.
-Feed kids.
-Run a load of laundry.
-Fold a load of laundry.
-Put away a load of laundry.
-Change kids.
-Put kids down for naps.
-Get on elliptical.
–INTERNET FOREVER
-Get kids up.
-Change kids.
-Give kids snacks.
-Sweep kitchen floor.
-Sweep bathroom floor.
-Make dinner.
-Mop kitchen floor.
-Mop bathroom floor.
-Feed kids.
-Pick up toys.
-Change kids.
-Put kids to bed.
-Get on elliptical.
-Eat popcorn.
-Play video games.
-Watch Eureka with Jeremy.
-Take Unisom.
By the time I wake up midmorning, I’ve already finished a quarter of the things I’m supposed to do.
And do you know the sad part? IT TOTALLY WORKS. My idiot brain falls for it. Every single day. I make that list, I cross a bunch of stupid things off, and I’m already motivated. I accomplish almost my entire list before the kids even go down for their naps. It’s amazing. I wish I’d discovered this in high school.
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Bahaha! I love you. I totally get it. I do it too!
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I wish I’d written the third sentence of your entry…it’s true and HILARIOUS.
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I do the same thing with my to do lists….
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I have a whiteboard on my fridge where my to-do list lives. The rule is that “She (or He) who does the task crosses it off.” Matt doesn’t understand. I get cranky when other people cross off MY accomplishments…
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ALSO: Internet Forever!
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My to do list has evolved much like the ones you list here though I haven’t gotten to the last one yet they are not nearly that detailed. They do work though much like magic.
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OMG, I loved this! I’m EXACTLY THE SAME WAY! ROFL! Thank you for sharing this. LOL!
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ryn: 🙂 The image of the limbless deaf blind person in the Gobi shouldn’t be so amusing to me. You should write a book. I keep telling you this…
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This is percisely why I list things like “wipe down counters” in my accomplishments on OD. I’m so very proud of myself for accomplishing the bare minimum health standard and it helps me feel accomplished and get to the next thing. Love the link to Hyperbole and a Half:)
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You. ROCK. Also, there *is* such a thing as adult ADD, right? 😛
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okay… now i know why you love hyperbole! i need to start reading that on a regular basis. and that list is a brilliant idea! i need to do that next time my cleaning comes up. lol – noah
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Good GRIEF! I write the same kinds of lists. Breaking the laundry down into load #1, load #2, load #3, and wash/dry/empty/sort for each of them. Speaking of… gotta go fold.
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You are soooo funny! I am totally stealing this strategy!
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YES! INTERNET FOREVER! I love you even more or that reference. You have no idea.
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ryn: one of the best sources for odd trivia (and a great game) is a game called “Wits and Wagers”. It’s like a cross between Trivial Pursuit and Poker. A question with a numerical answer is asked, everyone writes down their guess, then the guesses are all shown at once. They are laid out smallest to largest on this board, and then you ‘bet’ on which one is the closest without going over. So you can be WAY off on your own guess of the answer, but you can win the game by guessing which one of your friends has the closest answer. And you get more payout the farther from the median answer you bet on (and win). So if the answers are arranged, say, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, anyone betting on 3 being correct would get 2:1 return. But if they bet on 5, they’d get 4:1 payout, and if the actual answer was smaller than one, and you bet on “smaller than the smallest answer”, you’d get 5:1. It’s a very fun game. The structure is 7 rounds, and you’re done, and each question card (like the TP cards) has 7 questions on it, so in the first round, you ask the 1st question on the card, then discard the card. 2nd round, 2nd question on 2nd card, etc. It’s a great ice-breaker for our game nights.
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I heartily endorse that game. Here’s a link: http://www.amazon.com/North-Star-Games-433775-Wagers/dp/B000809NNC
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No, I totally get it. 🙂 My brain falls for that, too. Stupid, easily-manipulated brain…
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I’m ETERNALLY HAPPY that you put INTERNET FOREVER in there. And a link. Just so you know, that ending comic is my mousepad. AMAZING. I actually think that I may have bought and entire new computer to justify the INTERNET FOREVER mouse pad.
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RYN: Legumes do have carbs but they are a better choice than a bowl of pasta… or a brownie 😉 However… I need to figure out what bothered Asa the afternoon. I ate beans but it could have just been the onions/peppers in my food. I am a little afraid to eat anything interesting after the other night!
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i do my lists like you at home- SO SPECIFIC. lol <3
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growing FAST. Also interesting was the fast let down thing. He certainly does seem to get a big let down, gets annoyed with it (b/c he’d like to half sleep and sip) and ends up coughing a few times. He’s never been in danger b/c of it but it’s like it just hits him wrong and I’m betting he takes in a lot of air. The bicycling his legs was a good reminder. I’d forgotten that trick and it helped
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him! I’m sure that sounds so silly but it’s true. Breathing fast does not help (except when they tell you not to push.. jerks) but it’s just what happened when the pain was bad and I couldn’t focus and so when he breaths hard like that I feel bad b/c I know it must really hurt 🙁
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RYN: I’m not sure why I’ve heard that before but I’d thought about that whenever I see those water births. Not that I’d want to have a water birth. I guess I’d be interested in having the option b/c water sure is relaxing BUT water mixed with blood makes me faint. Seriously. Water isn’t scary. Blood, even in large amounts, does not phase me. Mixed together…well, they don’t mix exactly right and
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it totally freaks me out. Nearly passed out at school once. But yea, it would be nice to have the option even if I did it until right before pushing. It would be nice to have ANY options. Not having any options clearly freaked me out, eh?! There will be more research before the next one. And midwifes. I’ve never been a fan of doctors (except certain ones). And I like less medical pregnancies
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since are so healthy (thus far, God willing always) which is why I went with a GP to start with this time around. With all the moves we have in the next few yrs I find something that works better for our personalities before the next one is born. Likely just being home will give me more time to research things. And I was naive to think hospitals were all basically the same.
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I’ve heard good things about B butt cream too but it is really expensive. We buy the TUBS (not tubes) of Desitin. I was using the “creamy” formula (in tubes) for awhile but we went through it quickly. The tubs last FOREVER and cost about $15-17/ea. Of course being a tub means each kid needs their own (whereas a tube likely wouldn’t spread things so much). Need to get Asa a tub.
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I don’t know why more people don’t make to-do lists. Crossing off bullet pointed chores is so cathartic. I’ve tried a few computer programs and iphone apps to keep track of my lists, but the old fashioned pen and paper is really the best way to get things organized and done. INTERNET FOREVER. Good to know you have great taste in webcomics.
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RYN: that is a good deal. And they do last way longer. I think we use less b/c we can control how much we’re grabbing better than the tubes too. I’ll have to watch for the BBP when I go get some for Asa.
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This is quite possibly my favorite entry I’ve read on OD, ever. Thank you for that! It’s good to know I’m not the only one to add already accomplished tasks to the To Do list!
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