Throughout the month of March, I am participating in the annual Slice of Life Story Challenge, and even hosted by the team at Two Writing Teachers. Every day in March, I will share a story and comment on the stories of other participants. Please join us in writing, sharing, reading, and commenting!
This morning I read about Done Lists on Amy's blog. As a person who always makes a to-do list, I loved the idea. In fact, I asked Garth to bring me a notepad and a pen. I was going to start my Done List right then and there.
"Maybe it'll help me with this struggle of being able to so little," I said. "A change up of the mindset."
I already had a few things to put on my done list. He brought it to me...
(Sidenote: I'm dealing with the effects of post knee surgery and anything out of my immediate reach might as well be down the street.)
But then I had to go to the bathroom. I'd work on that done list later.
Getting downstairs is like a migration these days. My entourage and I require a bit of a staff to relocate my ice machine, walker, computer, phone, water bottle, meds, knitting projects, and book from my upstairs sitting quarters to my downstairs sitting quarters. Once I got settled into my place on the sofa, I realized the done list was still upstairs. It's okay. I knew what I had to do.
I meant to ask for that green pad again when I knew someone was making a quick trip up and then coming back down again, but I forgot. When you have to ask for everything to be done for you, it's tough to request a trip upstairs for one pad and pen.
I had a few moments at the PT place, and I thought about that done list again. It would have been a perfect time to write some things on it. What counts?
Got my sweater almost done.
Got my sweater almost done.
Read a chapter.
Got my sneakers on.
Round one of leg lifts and butt crunches.
Blog posts read.
Comments, yep.
I had a fair amount I could have put on that green pad Done List.
But it was still upstairs next to my bed.
When I got home, I texted back and forth with my doctor, and he asked when I was heading back for a follow-up. Ugh-- that was on my list of things to do today. I forgot.
You can probably guess where this is heading because that picture at the top of the post? I took it at the end of the day. Not the beginning.
Maybe I'll try the Done List again tomorrow. Or maybe accept that I'm a better to-do list person.
Well even if the done list didn't make it to your paper, it seems like you still mentally checked them off! It's so interesting how such a subtle change of mindset can be powerful. Who has time to write down things in a list that have already happened?... or is that what we're doing here? I hope you have a smooth recovery!
ReplyDeleteI'm a "done to-do" list girl. I'll write it just to check it off that I did it.
ReplyDeleteThat was me - Kim Johnson, and I'm sorry I didn't put my name.
DeleteGretchen Rubin calls the Done-lists Ta-da-lists. Becomes even more celebratory.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of a Done List before. I see how it could be motivating, but I'm not sure it's for me...I'll have to try it and see how I feel. I hope you are able to move more freely very soon!
ReplyDeleteMelanie, yes, I don't think I can do without a to-do list on busy days/weeks. Not as much as before I retired, but they are still important. I like my done list to be the same as my to-do list only with the items marked off. Sometimes I will write something down, just to mark it off because I already did it. All the best, as your knee heals. It looks like you have some good helpers around!
ReplyDeleteI appreciated your description of being upstairs & moving everything downstairs… (I had foot surgery years ago and still remember that struggle.) I also laughed when you said the picture was from the end of the day. Oh well!
ReplyDeleteAs much as I love the idea of to-do or done lists, I regularly fail at them. I write them, lose the list & struggle to remember what was on them. I’ve tried post-its, sheets of paper, notebooks, a list on a laptop… For some reason, they all find a way to get misplaced. I hope you are able to get to your list, and it helps you accomplish what you need to do.
I’ve also never heard of a done list. I think I prefer when my to-do list turns into a done list! ❤️Jess
ReplyDeleteI love the shape this post took on with the list in the middle. It zooms in on the moment you finally think about the items you've done, and then pans back out as you start thinking more broadly again. One of my favorite things when I've crossed off a lot of the things on my to-do list is to make a new, fresh to-do list by transferring the things I haven't done to a new sticky note. I love the clean new list and the feeling of throwing the old, mostly completed list away!
ReplyDelete