View Full Version : Daily List
Hello everyone!
The last few weeks I've been way too lazy and unproductive and I've been feeling blech as a result. I'm hoping a daily accountability list will help me get me out of this rut and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment again. This weekend will be hot so I want to get lots done today so I have nothing to do Sat & Sun. The goal is a nice balance of productivity, rest and leisure.
Anyone want to join in?
Today's list:
3 loads of laundry
oil the island butcher block
walk the dogs
buy groceries & put them away promptly
unload dishwasher
make jello
pick up after dogs and clean litterbox (my least favorite daily chore)
grind coffee beans
wash, dry and put away glassware and china (going from storage to cupboards and has to be done by hand)
tidy dining room
tidy family room
move 2 side tables
tidy my office
tidy master bedroom
email friend A (why do I keep putting this off?)
text friend B (so easy but I still put it off)
make iced tea
Full disclosure: I'm trying to get lots done today so my list is very long and I've added a few easy things that would normally be automatic to raise my success rate and give myself a confidence boost. This is NOT what my list will look like everyday! And this busy day will be followed by two lounging days.
Geila, It is a long list, but your logic is like mine...write it all down. My problem tends to be that I make the list, get nothing done and just change the day on the top of the list....but I did get a flower bed weeded this morning before the rain came. Now debating if I should go out and sweat more or wait until tomorrow when it's supposed to be cooler. So, I'll just sit at the computer and try to tidy up records...the little snibs of paper with emails, passwords etc. so they are organized. Thanks for the push.
Reading this thread, and also reading the threads by Chicken Lady, I get tired looking at these lists. Because I believe I have adult ADD, I work best by writing down the 3 MOST IMPORTANT things to get done in a day, and making sure I check those off. Anything more makes my head explode.
With the rest of the time, I can only hope to have the time to do what I did as a youth at my aunt's cottage on the beach, and just do what I want to do. Read. Walk. Meditate. Draw. Sew. Think.
With regard to laundry: I don't have more than 1 small load every day or every other day.
With regard to eating: I just try to cook what I need to, and eat as simply as possible.
I certainly don't write down "Cook egg for breakfast" My head would explode.
Gella, you are aspiring to a "nice balance of productivity, rest, and leisure" but all I see in your list is "productivity."
Hope I'm not being a buzzkill on the daily list thing, but your list seems to leave little time for rest and leisure. And I don't really believe in scheduling rest and leisure.
Reading this thread, and also reading the threads by Chicken Lady, I get tired looking at these lists. Because I believe I have adult ADD, I work best by writing down the 3 MOST IMPORTANT things to get done in a day, and making sure I check those off. Anything more makes my head explode.
With the rest of the time, I can only hope to have the time to do what I did as a youth at my aunt's cottage on the beach, and just do what I want to do. Read. Walk. Meditate. Draw. Sew. Think.
With regard to laundry: I don't have more than 1 small load every day or every other day.
With regard to eating: I just try to cook what I need to, and eat as simply as possible.
I certainly don't write down "Cook egg for breakfast" My head would explode.
Gella, you are aspiring to a "nice balance of productivity, rest, and leisure" but all I see in your list is "productivity."
Hope I'm not being a buzzkill on the daily list thing, but your list seems to leave little time for rest and leisure. And I don't really believe in scheduling rest and leisure.
Catherine - ideally, focusing on the 3 most important things in a day would be my goal too. The problem I run into is that when I get into a lazy rut, I only do the basic necessities and don't accomplish the important, but none urgent, things. I'm one of those people who are All-or-Nothing in many ways. Hence the need to plan for a day when I go at it full-force, like today. Since I work from home, the urgency to get things done is not there because there is always tomorrow, so I let things go more often than not.
But in regards to the leisure/rest/productivity thing, I suspect that I will get most of the list done except for my office, which is my depository for all things clutter. That should not have been on the list really and should be tackled a few hours at a time. I should still have enough time to do some resting (like now, having lunch and being online) and later I will fold clothes while watching a movie on Netflix. This weekend will be all rest and leisure. I mean, I'll still cook and clean up and walk the dogs and pick up after them, but that is daily living, not project goals. On a planned busy day like today, I put on the easy stuff to get myself going.
I would rather do one whole day of laundry and have it done for the week than do it every day or every other day. I think that's just personal preference. Same thing with cooking - I usually do one day of batch cooking for the week instead of cooking from scratch every day. The biggest struggle I have is with creating, and sticking to, a comfortable daily routine so that things would not pile up. That's where I hope the daily list will be helpful.
Catherine - just out of curiosity what would be an example of your 3 MOST IMPORTANT THINGS?
Geila, It is a long list, but your logic is like mine...write it all down. My problem tends to be that I make the list, get nothing done and just change the day on the top of the list....but I did get a flower bed weeded this morning before the rain came. Now debating if I should go out and sweat more or wait until tomorrow when it's supposed to be cooler. So, I'll just sit at the computer and try to tidy up records...the little snibs of paper with emails, passwords etc. so they are organized. Thanks for the push.
Hi nswef - don't get me started with all those passwords/user names/pins, etc! We've been thinking of using one of those software programs that keep track of that stuff. It's too much to keep track of. Just yesterday I was trying to remember a password for an old email and could not. It's probably gone forever.
I hope you'll keep me company on the daily list, it would be nice to have an accountability buddy.
As an exercise in alternative thinking, I thought I'd use Catherine's method to create today's list and I came up with one; and then I looked at why I've been putting these things off and felt the need to put them on a list rather than just doing them:
1. Laundry (I still have clean clothes available so not necessary but I don't want to be doing laundry this weekend so this one is planning ahead to avoid laundry during a heat spell)
2. Glass/china washing and putting away (time and effort needed for a non-urgent task that's been on my mental to-do list for at least 2 weeks)
3. Dining room tidying (mental energy required to put stuff away - this has been the depository for lots of stuff during a recent home remodel project - has also been on my mental to-do list for at least 2 weeks)
Here are examples of two other days this week where the list was short but time & energy-consuming:
Day 1 - Batch cooking
Day 2 - Clean bathroom, vacuum house, gardening
Day 3 - Groom and bathe dogs
So the long list is really just a way for me to trick my brain into tacking the projects that I've been putting off for one reason or another. That's a good insight. Thanks Catherine!
Catherine - just out of curiosity what would be an example of your 3 MOST IMPORTANT THINGS?
a) get draft of report to client as per agreement
b) pay credit card bill to avoid late fee
c) respond to son re going to his house for lunch on Sunday
For the weekend:
1. Do some of the yard work I am behind on now that the heat wave is over.
2. Visit my parents.
3. Go to the library.
Interesting to see how we use lists (or not) to manage our days. I am very much a daily list maker, but I think I would benefit from also having a list like Yppej's and Catherine's of the more important things I want to accomplish in a weekend or a week. I'm a person who can miss my big rocks while being totally immersed in managing my grains of sand.
I actually love to pay bills so that never even makes it onto my list of things to do.
I do list some daily minutiae like Geila to give myself a boost of accomplishment "cleaned the litter boxes again today!"
NSWEF: Someday I need to organize my online photo archives, but I think that is a good winter project for me.
For the weekend:
1. Inventory paint and stain supplies (I have been putting that off forever)
2. Some yard work because as Yppej mentioned, the weather has gotten much nicer!
3. Colonoscopy prep on Sun - I decided I would tell you about this one on the very good chance that it will make the worst item on your own list look pretty pleasant in comparison, lol
rosa, you made me laugh about the colonoscopy. There are few things on my lists that I dread...but many that i am willing to put off.
rosa - thank you! :) You definitely have a harder task ahead of you. My condolences to you. And I'm glad someone else gives themselves a boost of accomplishment. It's so satisfying to cross items off the list.
Hedges trimmed, tomatoes pruned, and I started on the weeding last night. I love being outdoors when the weather us nice.
My list for today (I try to put down 3-4 most important only):
Complete Powerpoint for class
Grade student papers
Go to library
Play the viola 20 minutes (that's one that has slipped lately and I like it)
iris lilies
7-7-18, 11:24am
Today is a gorgeous cool day. Let us hope I can get in 3hours of weeding, and if so, I will be over the hump on garden maintenance.
Three days ago it all was discouraging, the weeds! But I worked a few hours for a couple of days and that made a huge difference.
I do find that progress in one area encourages me, to go the distance to complete that job.
I finished my whole list (minus the office which will be it's own project) by 6:30 and then had the rest of the evening to relax. I had planned no list for the weekend but I'm going to see if I can modify my all-or-nothing approach by doing a little bit every day.
For the weekend:
30 minute workout
Swim
2-3 hours clearing out the office
Next week I want to work on creating a good daily routine that I can develop into ingrained habits.
I do find that progress in one area encourages me, to go the distance to complete that job.
I have found that putting a few "quick wins" on the list that get crossed off quickly encourages me to hit the list that much harder and get more done. ;)
Steve, I do love those quick wins. I've also gotten much better at doing part of a task and giving myself credit for doing so, rather than deciding that the job isn't finished, so my work was in vain.
Library ✔
Visit parents ✔
Weeding over half done and yard waste barrels along the curb
The heat comes back Monday so I am driven.
Teacher Terry
7-8-18, 10:11am
I only make lists for things that I don’t do weekly. So when spring cleaning I make a list of everything that needs to be done so I don’t forget. I also make lists of errands I need to do so I don’t forget one when out. Everything else I just notice when it needs to be done.
Close to 6 hours of weeding done and I feel like things are under control.
Well, I did nothing on my weekend list, so it seems my all-or-nothing approach is going to take longer to change than 1 day. :) But I did have a fantastic weekend. It wasn't as hot as predicted so we bbq'd both days and feasted on burgers, steak, salad, corn (grilled corn is so good) and fruit. We napped, read, and watched movies. Two whole days of pure indulgence.
Today I will try a combo of easy and hard stuff on my list:
Costco run
Cook a pot of chili verde
Cube the remaining 2/3 of pork shoulder and freeze in containers for later use (I buy a huge pork shoulder pack at Costco and use it in lots of stuff)
Vacuum
Wash kitchen linens
Put out the trash, recycling, and garden clippings for tomorrow's pickup
I love lists.
This summer I've given myself a bit of break from keeping a daily list but I have a summer long one I'm working on as well as my list of 52 before my 52nd birthday.
This week:
1. Work
2. Use my Macy's credit card rewards gift cards wisely
3. Watch DVD of relative's promotion ceremony
Gardenarian
7-10-18, 7:41am
Now that I'm retired I find that I don't need use a daily list to keep track of things. Well, I should say I no longer make a daily list - I would probably get more accomplished if I did, which is a strong argument for doing it.
I think I will try going back to a daily list for a week or so and see if I like it.
I do have a long list of home repair/maintenance items that we are slowly working through (painting, trimming shrubs, replacing weather stripping, that sort of thing.)
The shorter list did not work well for me. I wasn't getting anything done so I added a bunch of stuff and that mobilized me into action and I got everything done by 4 pm and then I showered and had the rest of the day to relax.
Today's list:
Take pets to vet
Gardening
Clean out pantry
Organize cupboards
Clean mirrors
Today's list has lots of time consuming and dirty work on it and I feel tired just thinking about it. I need to dig up some plants and pot them and there's weeding that needs done as well. And it's a warm day so I need to do the bulk of the work before it heats up too much. I'll need to find a way to motivate myself to get going. I was trying to think of small things to put on so that I can energize myself but am not feeling it and my brain is freezing up. Maybe some caffeine will help. What I really want to do is go back to bed!
My list today is to:
1.work on my story for Writers' group tonight...needs typing up and tweaking.
2. Make elderberry elixir
3.do some weeding before it gets too hot
4. make lavender wands
5. laundry
Yesterday I DID, weed, make a blueberry pie, made 2 phone calls.
What finally got me going yesterday was making a phone call to schedule a routine appointment. For whatever reason, that loosened up the brain and I was able to switch into action mode. I put a bunch of stuff on the list and finished everything up by 3 pm. It felt good to get sweaty. Last night I did some guided meditation before bed and that was nice too.
Today I had a few hours of paid work and since last night I've been having this exchange with my brain:
Brain: "No need to make a list since work is on the schedule."
Me: "It's only a few hours of work, not the whole day!"
Brain: "Yeah, but...."
It's been interesting to observe my brain this past week. It's a wiley little trickster. I just finished work and am feeling energetic to do some physical stuff now. But first, lunch!
nswef - blueberry pie sounds so good right now!
I am just back from a vacation and jet lagged and it's 88 degrees outside and the ac is out in my house, all of which is making it very hard to motivate myself.
But I'm going to write a small list of baby steps and let you know later how I did:
1. pick up medication at CVS and get ibuprofen
2. Spend one hour on unpacking
3. Go through mail
4. Read for one hour
5. Walk and stretch
We'll see how I do ...
Well it turns out even the baby steps I aimed for yesterday were a little too ambitious, but I never would have done any unpacking if I hadn't set the intention here.
1. pick up medication at CVS and get ibuprofen - DONE!
2. Spend one hour on unpacking - DONE!
3. Go through mail - DONE!
4. Read for one hour - too jet lagged. It was all I could do to keep my eyes open until the AC repairman showed up at 8 p.m.
5. Walk and stretch - nope.
New list for today:
1. Write for one hour
2. Do grocery shopping
3. Two more hours on decluttering and unpacking
4. Replace bulb in kitchen overhead light
5. Help daughter get bday present for her father, wrap, etc.
6. Walk and stretch
7. Turn in book order for fall
Yesterday ended up being a mostly rest day. After finishing my paid work, I went to lunch with a friend and afterwards took a nice long nap. I still did all the basic everyday stuff, but no project stuff.
Today's list:
A couple of errands
This is the kind of day where I run into trouble. All the basic stuff is done: house is clean, laundry is done, pets are clean and groomed, fridge is full of good food, gardens are in good shape, etc. All that is left is the time and energy consuming stuff that is not urgent or very important and thus easy to postpone: sorting and organizing my office and the garage, minor gardening stuff, etc. I feel the pull of inertia dragging me down.
What is important, and should be urgent, is getting myself in good physical shape. But that feels overwhelming to start, and I think a big part of that is that a lot of work needs to happen before I see any results. If I start working out now, I might see results in a couple of weeks! :confused: I'm not good at delayed gratification. And it's a long-term project, it will never be done really. In order to stay fit, I will need to put in the work and effort permanently.
A good day would be if I put in a couple of hours of office or garage sorting and organizing and get in a workout as well. But for whatever reason, the thought of doing that is just plain tiring. I don't really know why I ran out of steam, or why this stuff all of a sudden feels overwhelming. Wait, it could be all the decision-making that will be required with these projects. Each item needs to be picked up and evaluated and a decision made as to where it goes, do I keep it, will I use it, etc... That is exhausting.
Yesterday's list:
1. Write for one hour - DONE!
2. Do grocery shopping - DONE!
3. Two more hours on decluttering and unpacking - nope.
4. Replace bulb in kitchen overhead light - nope.
5. Help daughter get bday present for her father, wrap, etc.- DONE!
6. Walk and stretch - nope.
7. Turn in book order for fall - DONE!
For today:
1. Finish book - though this is pleasure rather than business, I put it on my list because one of my priorities this summer (when I am on a reduced work schedule) is to take the time to read 8-10 books for pleasure. Putting reading on my lists helps me give myself permission to take that time.
2. Do around 2 hours of decluttering.
3. Replace kitchen light bulb.
4. Walk and stretch.
5. Make donation for daughter's father's bday
6. Write for one hour
7. Make up (or at least start) master list for summer
8. Write and send 5 postcards
Not very ambitious today because I have my daughter with me all morning and then a hair appointment this afternoon. But it's something.
Making these lists here and reporting back on them is helpful to me. Thanks for starting this thread!
Today's list:
Take dogs to the park
Home Depot shopping for weekend project
Vacuum
Wash glass patio doors - dog drool all over them!
rosarugosa
7-13-18, 5:22pm
I do have a list every day, for better or worse, so I can certainly contribute. Today's list was:
grocery shopping (DH & I do this together early Fri mornings. This is a new thing for us since my retirement, and we are quite the efficient team together at this point!)
walk dog
get haircut
clean litter boxes
grind coffee
clean house
do laundry
e-mail friend (she sent me some cool articles she had clipped from the Boston Globe)
In retrospect, although I didn't feel like I had a terribly productive day, I didn't do half bad. The only thing I didn't do at all was e-mail my friend, and that is fine, as long as I do it in the next couple of days. The clean house was a partial. I would say I did about 2/3.
This week:
1. Work
2. Use my Macy's credit card rewards gift cards wisely
3. Watch DVD of relative's promotion ceremony
1. ✔
2. Fail - got 5 items but only 1 for fall. It was so hot I just wanted cool clothing. Initial plan to replace DS's broken suitcase failed as he said he does not want a new one and will just fix it with a paper clip attached to the zipperhead. So I fell for my gazingus pin instead.
3. It turned out to be a CD of pictures instead which I looked at ✔
For this weekend:
1. Get groceries including ingredients for/try some recipes
2. Catch up on housework. I do 22 minutes a day and am 26 minutes behind.
3. Keep in touch with family - the sender of the CD and others.
rosarugosa
7-14-18, 8:18am
I have a pretty ambitious list for today:
litterboxes - done
cut some hydrangeas for the house
make ice cubes
assemble some wood in the firepit
complete online survey
make ice cubes
sand benches
stain benches
I've obviously got some quick and easy wins on there to help me build momentum for the last two, which are the least pleasant and most critical. The benches are untreated pine and are already showing some deterioration from being outdoors. We are so proud of our benches that it would be a shame not to follow through and preserve them!
1) WORK ON BIG REPORT!!!! DON'T PROCRASTINATE!!!! GET IT DONE!!!!
2) Pick up son from Burlington and bring up here for the weekend.
3) Go to Costco for some basics, like coffee and tuna.
Yesterday's list:
1. Finish book - DONE
2. Do around 2 hours of decluttering. - I DID ONE
3. Replace kitchen light bulb. - DONE
4. Walk and stretch. - DONE
5. Make donation for daughter's father's bday - DONE
6. Write for one hour - I DID THIRTY MINUTES
7. Make up (or at least start) master list for summer - nope.
For today:
1. Write
2. Do yoga video
3. Walk and stretch
4. Write
5. Do 3-4 hours of decluttering
6. Make up/start master to do list for the next 6 weeks
rosarugosa
7-15-18, 6:55am
I hit everything on my list yesterday, but underestimated the time that will be needed for the benches. I'm going to need 2 -3 more sessions to complete them. Alas, it poured last night, so I won't be able to continue today. I'm using oil-based stain, so no harm to what I did yesterday.
If DH works on the gazebo roof today, I will help with that.
I have little stuff to do today: make jug of iced tea, hard boil eggs for the week, was blueberries, make salads. Haven't decided yet what else to tackle - maybe finish housework.
For this weekend:
1. Get groceries including ingredients for/try some recipes
2. Catch up on housework. I do 22 minutes a day and am 26 minutes behind.
3. Keep in touch with family - the sender of the CD and others.
1. Got ingredients and tried one recipe.
2. ✔
3. Contacted the CD sender but my plan to visit my parents got derailed.
Yesterday's list:
1. Write - DONE
2. Do yoga video - nope.
3. Walk and stretch - DONE
4. Do 3-4 hours of decluttering - DID TWO
5. Make up/start master to do list for the next 6 weeks - DONE
Today's List
1. Write
2. Mail 5 postcards
3. Get salad stuff for salad to bring to friends
4. Walk and stretch or do yoga video
5. Take moon poster and maybe Miro print to Kinko's to get them dry mounted
6. deposit J check
7. Do four hours decluttering
rosarugosa
7-15-18, 7:23pm
I hit everything on my list yesterday, but underestimated the time that will be needed for the benches. I'm going to need 2 -3 more sessions to complete them. Alas, it poured last night, so I won't be able to continue today. I'm using oil-based stain, so no harm to what I did yesterday.
If DH works on the gazebo roof today, I will help with that.
I have little stuff to do today: make jug of iced tea, hard boil eggs for the week, was blueberries, make salads. Haven't decided yet what else to tackle - maybe finish housework.
I didn't do iced tea or housework or help with gazebo. (DH accomplished a lot on the gazebo without my help). I did do the eggs, blueberries and salads. I also listed 4 items on eBay, and worked on the stripping kitchen cupboard project. The cupboard project is unsatisfying because, um, stripping furniture - need I say more? However, it is a "big rock," so I'm pleased to have given it some time and energy, even if I don't have much to show for it.
I also rearranged the back porch dining area to help me visualize what we'll be doing with this space. I'm not so great at imagining without actually seeing. I do think it was a worthwhile exercise, and I decluttered a couple of items in the process!
I tried another recipe and got caught up on cleaning. A nice bonus was DS spent 4 hours removing all his stuff cluttering the dining room table and rest of the downstairs.
For this week:
1. Work 5 days (I am out of vacation time)
2. Follow up with DS to ensure he gets an electrician in now that the house is presentable
3. Try the remaining 3 recipes I bought ingredients for
Teacher Terry
7-15-18, 9:11pm
So home from our long trip and was unpacking. I was hanging up clothes and realized that I had way to many hangers so filled a bag for the thrift store. Rosa, I stripped all the woodwork in a big old home when I was 27 plus the kitchen cabinets. It is hard work.
1. Write - DONE
2. Mail 5 postcards - nope.
3. Get salad stuff for salad to bring to friends - DONE
4. Walk and stretch or do yoga video - nope.
5. Take moon poster and maybe Miro print to Kinko's to get them dry mounted - DECIDED AGAINST THE MOON POSTER FOR NOW. TOOK A COUPLE OF OTHER POSTERS
6. deposit J check - nope.
7. Do four hours decluttering - DID THREE
List for today:
1. Write
2. Do four hours of decluttering
3. Mail postcards
4. Do yoga video
5. Meditate
6. Get refreshments for writing group tonight
7. Call DC for appt
Very inspiring to hear what the rest of you are accomplishing. And very helpful to me to be reporting here every day. I badly need the structure right now!
List from yesterday:
1. Write - DONE
2. Do four hours of decluttering - DID THREE
3. Mail postcards - DONE
4. Do yoga video - nope.
5. Meditate - nope.
6. Get refreshments for writing group tonight - DONE
7. Call DC for appt - DIDN'T DO YESTERDAY, DID NOW
List for today:
1. Write
2. Yoga video
3. Ask Diana about BR
4. One hour on WAC stuff
5. One hour on SE appeal stuff
6. One hour on 101+ stuff
7. One hour decluttering
8. Deposit check from J
9. Pay Cawelti
10. 20 minutes on email regarding J reimbursement
11. Walk and stretch
12. Take at least one hour to read
13. Set up index cards
14. Email to Gil
Pretty late in the day - 2 pm - but hoping to get a few things done. This next week is going to be challenging because it's going to be hot and humid so I'll have to push myself to get stuff done.
Today's list:
2 loads of laundry
some cooking
a few paperwork tasks
vacuum (stretch goal)
20 mins of garage decluttering (very stretch goal)
some easy wins:
pick up after pets
make bed after washing sheets
unload dishwasher
tidy kitchen after dinner
Yesterday I got everything done except my stretch goals. Not surprising.
Today's list:
3 hours of paid work
groceries
some cooking (I really don't want to do this - why, oh why, didn't I get one of those rotiserrie chickens at the store?)
vacuum
pick up after pets
nap
mail out checks for pet licensing
I got the yard waste toter to the street, put a cart full of donations in the car, heated up some brisket and root vegetables, and had coffee. I'll probably do some reading. And that's about it.
Teacher Terry
7-18-18, 5:57pm
I cleaned the kitchen and living room, bathed 2 dogs, did some laundry and graded some exams. I will also cook dinner for my kids tonight. I am still tired from my trip.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.