Does Making a List Really Make a Difference?

Do you find that it makes a difference to use a list in terms of accomplishing your daily and weekly goals?

Goals for the Week of June 6, 2011

It does for me. There are four reasons why I find it even more helpful if I make this list public.

1. It’s the accountability. I know that some of you will be checking up on me. And some of you even make reference to my goals when I see you.

2. I want to look good. OK, I admit it. I feel that if I don’t accomplish my goals that I am a flake. I don’t want you to think of me that way.

3. I make these public to-do lists more reasonable. Instead of trying to DO ALL the things in my head, I try to list those things that can really be done in one week according to the time, energy and resources I’ll have available that week.

4. Finally, the fact is I never lose this list. It is always available on the world-wide web. My paper to-do list often has other bits of information on it as well as doodles. Sometimes it is used as a coaster or impromptu plate for my peanut butter toast. It can get pretty full and tatty looking and ends up in the trash.

Can you identify with any of these reasons? What would you add?

Below are my goals for the week. Please share your weekly goals in the comments or write a post. Link up at Goal Planning Monday. Let’s see what we can get done together!

1. Exercise

• Walk 25 minutes 3 times a day.
• Do passive resistance exercises 7 times a day. Incorporate changes from Monday’s pt . appointment.
• Soak in hot tub or bathtub with Epsom salts 2 times a week.

2. Work: 2-4 hours a day: depends on what happens at my Monday’s physical therapy appointment

Children’s ministry

• Write letter to teachers/helpers.
• Finalize Summer schedule.

Women’s ministry

• Finalize songs for Friday night.
• Print and put retreat booklets together.
• Finalize retreat details.
• Collect all carpool forms.
• Decide and buy “decorations” for pail design. I may or may not  get to this.

3. Miscellaneous

• Write in my gratitude book daily (with a gel pen in a notebook with purple paper it’s quite fun)
• Read the book of Jeremiah.
• Check in daily with maximize your mornings group.
• Get my car from SF.
• Figure out what to do with Chip.

 I participate in Goal Planning Monday so I’ll have a record of what I complete each week. I’ll also have a tool to energize my (sometimes) flagging motivation to complete (1) the jobs I tend to avoid or (2) jobs that get overshadowed by the urgent but not necessarily most important items on my to-do list.

Related Posts…

• Bingo Helps Me Get Things Done
• How Realistic is Your To-Do List? Are You Doing What’s on God’s To-Do List?
• Live in the Day: a To-Do List

Click on the “more” button to see last week’s goals. 

1. Exercise

• Walk 25 minutes 3 times a day.
• Do passive resistance exercises 4-7 times a day. Incorporate changes from Tuesday’s Dr. appointment.
• Soak in hot tub or bathtub with Epsom salts 4 times a week. I did this twice.

2. Work: 2-4 hours a day: depends on what happens at my Tuesday doctor appointment

Children’s ministry

• Write letter to teachers/helpers. I did not do this.
• Make 10 calls for children’s ministry.
• Finalize Summer schedule. I did not finish this.

Women’s ministry

• Get together with Marsha regarding retreat notebook (proofread, etc.) – Contact her on Monday to see when.
• Get & send final retreat details to LaRee by Monday.
• Sort out carpooling for retreat by June 3rd.
• Let all know who their room mates are. I did not hear back from retreat center about rooms so cannot do this yet.
• Decide and buy “decorations” for pail design. I didn’t have the energy or desire to do this.

3. Miscellaneous

• To sleep better at night do these 2 things. (1) Find and order book that Dr. Oz recommended. I wasn’t able to find the book, but I did read Dr Oz’s posts on this topic. I didn’t learn anything new.  (2) Journal about my sleep issues to determine if this is something I really want to make a priority now. I thought about this, but did not commit anything to paper yet. 
• Write in my gratitude book daily (with a gel pen in a notebook with purple paper it’s quite fun)
• Finish reading the book of Isaiah.
• Check in daily with maximize your mornings group.
• Batch cook 2 meals for my freezer. I am feeling stronger and able to do more, so there is no reason I cannot make my own meals now. It just takes me longer because I am slow. I made burritos, chili and corn bread. I already have some Tortilla Chicken Soup in the freezer so I am good for meals this week.