Update Your "To Do" List!

Do you have a daily “to do” list. This list is probably full of mundane tasks or high priority projects; it probably weighs over your head like a dreary rain cloud or maybe it is a security blanket reassuring you that you have done what needs to be done.

Does your list look like this?

1. Choose work that is in harmony with your values.
2. Be forgiving of yourself and others
3. Don’t take good health for granted
4. Don’t write down anything you don’t want someone else to read
5. Never tell anybody they can’t sing
6. Learn three clean jokes
7. Never deny anyone the opportunity to do something nice for you
8. Never be too busy to meet someone new
9. Never refuse homemade brownies
10. Surprise an old friend with a phone call
11. Sing in the shower
12. If you borrow something more than twice, buy one for yourself
13. Slow dance
14. Compliment three people every day
15. Look people in the eye

Or does it look more like this?

1. Make coffee
2. Shower/get ready
3. Make the bed
4. Go to work
1. Work stuff
2. Work stuff
3. More work stuff
5. Grocery Store
6. (if you have kids-shuttle them to and from 1489571934751 activities)
7. Fix supper
8. Clean the house
1. Laundry
2. Dishes
3. Etc.
9. Maybe a church meeting or 2
10. Add your own things here…

We are just over one month into 2011-did you make any resolutions? How are you doing with your resolutions? Did you make a resolution to shorten your to do list, or actually stick to your to do list, or for go the to do list and take things as they come?

I made the decision to keep my “to do” list manageable.  What in the world does that mean! Great question, I am still trying to figure it out myself. One way I am trying to keep it manageable is by not putting those automatic tasks on it. I know everyday I get up, turn the coffee on, and get ready for work…I don’t need a list to remind me of those tasks. Even the grocery store and church meetings are pretty common place in my daily routine- I don’t need a list for those either. My new to do list looks much more like the first list. I created this list from an old calendar I found. Each month it had 10 things to do or think about. I typed all 120 things (12monthsX10things) into a Word document.

Right now there are 15 on the list-as I complete one I add a new one.

Some of them are more difficult than others. If people don’t know my list for example  I am waiting for someone to offer me number 9-homemade brownies(your offering will not be denied! J). Although number 12 I should take off because I have borrowed my neighbor’s snow shovel twice in the past 3 weeks, so I guess it is time to buy one.

To do lists can often weigh us down, stress us out, and be overwhelming. In this New Year and new approach to the “to do” list I am finding they can be life giving and inspirational tools that reminds us of the great and mysterious ways God works in our lives. This new revolving list things to do helps me, in some strange way stay focused on what is important; my relationship with the God, my relationships with family and friends, relationships with people I have yet to meet, and my relationship with all of creation. Update your “to do” list! Make it a list that gives you life not one that sucks your dry!