The beginning of the year is supposed to be the time we set our goals and organize our life to be happier, more efficient people. Right? It’s the 19th of January and I feel as though everything I’ve scheduled in my planner this month has gone by the wayside to make room for, what seems like, nothing. I lost an entire week to a sick toddler and rather than being happy to snuggle my little girl, comforting her in my arms, I felt anxiety over everything I wasn’t accomplishing. Now you know my biggest guilt. I wish I would have seen this quote then. Keep calm and make a list.
Making a list, especially during a time when I can’t accomplish that task, helps my mind calm down. Even if my list is 50 items long and entirely too much to accomplish in the time frame I’ve given, it helps to just write them out and prioritize them. Many times those items that aren’t checked off at the end of the week are things that I realize didn’t need to be done anyway. It’s most helpful for me to take an hour on Sunday morning to make my meal plan, order our groceries from the store and write out my most important goals for the week. If I’m good, I’ll write them out in my planner, but otherwise will just make a list and stick it to the fridge.
Keep Calm and Make a List
If you’re having a hard time focusing on what you should be spending your time with, make a list. If you feel like you’re completely exhausted at the end of every day, make a list, there might be a way to better prioritize your goals. I keep a notebook by my bedside so I can let all my ramblings out of my head and onto paper for better sleep. I never look at that list but it is there to help me sleep at night. Let me know what helps calm you when you’re mind won’t slow down.
Making a list makes me feel so much better when I’m feeling anxious! And taking care of a sick kiddo is definitely not time wasted 😉
I definitely see that in you Bev! Awwwe! You would be so sweet and think that way 😉 I’m learning to!
Put your child on the list! Now place a huge c heck mark next to it ✔. That’s what I do when I encounter the unexpected.
HAHA! Good point! I’ll have to do that 😉
Great advice! I’m a big list maker too, helps me focus and get things accomplished. I’m totally late on the resolutions game this year. It’s hard after the holiday blur to get the momentum going and jump right into things, even more so when your tending to a sick baby. Glad you guys are better and can’t wait to see how your year unfolds 🙂
I’m hot and cold each week with my lists and resolutions! I’m hoping with spring brings health to our family too!
My biggest problem is that I keep making lists because I feel like I’m getting organized and then I have 3 thousand lists floating around that end up not making any sense to me. Any advice on how to down size list making into things that are reasonable to get done?
I have a running ‘house projects’ list and a weekly ‘to do’ list. If I’m planning for the week (or day ahead) I only plan to do three things on the list and if I don’t get something done (or two of the three) I have to just realize it’s ok and move it to the next day. Some days I’ll get 2 things done and some days I’ll get 5. Often times it might not event be important enough to roll over to the next week and I’ll realize it’s not something that needs to get done right now. I hope that helps! Sorry for the delay!