Thursday, December 22, 2011

To Do vs. To Done

I’ve never been diagnosed with adult ADD but believe I have it. It’s hard for me to focus sometimes. My brain swims and drowns with thoughts and ideas. It’s hard to remember all of the things I need to get accomplished from day to day, which is why I rely on lists.



I make “to do” lists every day. There is a certain amount of satisfaction in marking off items I’ve successfully completed. But really a “to do” list is not good enough for me. If there are items still left on the list, I feel I’ve failed for the day. So, to counteract that, I will occasionally keep a “to done” list. It may sound silly but every so often I track what I actually did accomplish for the day down to the minutest detail. From washing dishes, to folding laundry, picking up toys, making a doctor's appointment, wiping down the counter, taking out the trash, paying bills, writing a blog, or walking the dog. Anything can be recorded.



A "to done" list serves as validation and proof. Validation for me that, though there may be stuff yet to be done, I have done a lot to work toward reaching my goals and handling my responsibilities. It also serves as proof for anyone who dares to question what I did all day. Since they likely won’t have a “to done” list of their own, they will hush up right quickly!


If you’ve never kept a “to done” list, try it for one whole day and see if you aren’t similarly impressed with yourself!

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