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Making A List And Checking It Twice

© Janet Kitto

My life has gone from scheduled to chaotic because of one change. It's a big change. It's a job. I'm amazed how my carefully planned routines have been forgotten or just plain hard to keep as my job has taken over the hours of my day as a priority. Piles on my desk have grown larger. Things are stacking up where there was once order.

I am fortunate enough to work from the comfort of my home office and set my own hours but the reality of that is there are still deadlines to meet and my schedule has become flexible for everyone but me. I have more than one role. I am a mother, a wife, a writer, and a contract worker. On top of that I have to keep a home running. Is there clutter in my life? YES!

I can't take a weekend and simply remove the piles and the disorder. I have to rethink my schedule, look at ways to simplify my routine, and decide what my priorities are. But first I have to find my desk in this mess so I can sit down and write up a plan.

I've decided that the most effective and time-saving act I can do for myself is to sit down either each morning or each night before bed to create a list of things to do. What has to be done? What are my three biggest priorities? Anymore than three on my list to begin with and I will feel overwhelmed. What things would I like to get to? And finally, what can I do for myself? What am I doing for ME?

I'm going to leave my to-do list in plain view somewhere near the computer so that I can't miss it. It will feel rewarding to cross things off one by one as they are done and as I feel a routine developing again, I will be able to add more things to my list.

There will always be challenges in life to allow disorder to take over where we have order. It's the law of clutter and if we don't make rules for ourselves that can be followed there will be a price to pay. Something will go missing or get broken or worse, someone will get ignored.

The first step is the hardest on the organization path, especially when you can't see the floor because of the mess, but once that foot is firmly planted you'll be off and running things with ease.