Tuesday, June 8, 2010

The Beauty of Lists

I like lists. No, to be more precise I need lists. In fact, I'm a compulsive list maker.  It is the trademark of my long-standing OCD and I wear it like a badge of honor.

I have three standard lists I use all the time. First, I make a list the first of each month of things to accomplish during the next 30/31 days.  Second, every week I compile a seven day list. This provides focus from Monday through Sunday. And finally, every morning I make a "to do list" for that day.

Part of the joy of list making comes when I cross an item off the list.  So....the first thing I write on the daily list is:  "Make a daily list"--then, as soon as I complete the list, I scratch right through the first item--how sick is that?

Yesterday's list is fairly typical (the numbers are the priority order given each item):

2 Devotional time
1 Exercise
8 Set up home teaching visits
3 Email the bishop re: proposed home teaching changes
6 Clean desk
4 Vacuum
5 Sweep kitchen
7 Buy azaleas
9 Practice guitar and/or banjo and/or piano

I have a separate list for Melba--it's called the "A" list and she's the only person on it and it trumps all other lists.