I’m usually a pretty good juggler. Or at least that’s what I tell myself.
But here it is, November 4th, and it’s been eons since I posted. Actually, it’s been eons for a lot of things on my want to do daily list. Which actually proves a point that I make to myself (and anyone who’ll listen.)
If it’s not on my schedule, I probably won’t get to it.
My daily “I want to do list” includes things like exercising, blogging, decluttering, drink more water, read for pleasure, meditate, throw out one thing I don’t need…. You get the idea. Yet, lately I haven’t. I’m not going to say it’s because I don’t have time…because I know better than most people, you never have time…you have to make time. And I could.
But instead, I tell myself I deserve to sit down and watch some mindless television because I had a long day. Or I tell myself I’ll “do it later” but something else “comes up.” Or I just plain forget while I am in the throes of my day.
Unless it’s on my calendar. Things that are on the schedule get done.
Conversely, if I don’t block of “down time” on my calendar, it will probably get filled (and does) with clients, appointments, and other must-dos.
So why do I resist? Why do I allow time to run away?
It’s certainly not a lack of desire or motivation. I WANT to do all the things on my list. I suppose it’s several things. Old habits. A concept of how the world works and time that harkens back to the structured days of school and working for others. (And it’s been a long, long time since either of those were true for me.) Laziness. Overwhelm.
A lot of my personal to-dos have been on my list for….well, way too long. And it’s time to make a change. So here’s what I am going to do. I’m going public here and now. I am going to pick one item from my personal to-do list and DO IT for an entire week. (And hopefully longer.)
So…this week I will write a blog post every day.
What about you?
Ive added you to my blog feed. You had better post everyday now because I will be checking up on you. – Robin
Thanks for the inspiration, Donna, and the opportunity to crack my whip your way. You know what a task master I am. 😉
I look forward to your daily insights!
This week on my list: E-mailing 5 new contacts a day introducing them to Ageless-Sages.com and inviting them to participate in one of several ways, including sponsoring the Read for Life project. Ooh, that felt good! Thanks for asking.
Donna, Thanks for letting me know about your blog…I will be checking daily. I am a task master. However the yuck stuff is put on a list and slowly accomplished. I usually try to do a couple of these things FIRST thing each morning before my day begins. That way its behind me. Its hard!!
It is mostly just a matter of habit, I think. We never “find time” to do things because that time is already being spent doing other things (very few of us just have hours when we stare of into space because nothing was scheduled, unless you count tv watching). You have to schedule time to do the things you want to do, or you’ll just fill that time up with other stuff.
When I started my Americorps blog at the beginning of my service, I vowed to post every day I worked or did something related to Americorps, and it was hard work the first few weeks to remember and create time to do it. But after about a month, it was like brushing my teeth – I felt “unfinished” if I didn’t get around to it. And I managed to post almost every day, with a few lapses for being out sick or coming in too late to have any energy.
Now that I’m out of the ‘corps, though, I’ve little motivation to keep the blog up, and it shows. I do keep trying, because I want to write a book about my experiences and hope to use the blog as a project planning and writing resource, but for the mean time it sits more or less neglected unless something interesting comes up on my Americorps radar scope. So, motivation is key but habit is the lock the key turns in. They’re a pair that function as one.
Tag! I am it!
You have the same tendency I do – to do list may get overlooked but schedule usually gets done. I have had to move my to do list to particular times on my calendar to make sure it all gets done – or at least stand a better chance 🙂
So, while you are working hard to blog everyday, I will promise to go through my feed reader (of which you are now on) everyday instead of letting all the posts backup until whenever and the count gets so high I can only skim the topics.
And maybe we can find another put off to do for next week 🙂
You touched on something really important here (well you always do). The point I’m referring to is being absolutely honest with just not doing it. I am so impressed with this you have no idea!
How many times do people go on a tirade listing every reason in the book why they’re not on intention and you? You just say it like it is. You chose to do something else, whether mindless TV, whatever.
We often don’t cut ourselves enough slack. I think that’s a fundamental reason why we don’t always stay on intention because we don’t always feel like it. We all have this “let’s play hooky” inside of us.
So tell me how I can support you. I know how busy you are. For crying out loud I’m busier than ever because of you! (and love every minute of it). What can you think of that we can do together since we’re in touch pretty much every day?
I’m there. Let me know
Your biggest fan and often partner in crime,
Donna K
[…] blog can be found at https://glimmers.wordpress.com/2007/11/04/how-time-ran-away/ and I urge you to read and take stock of where you’re at in relation to her […]
By the way I extended this challenge to our Transformational Girlfriends Blog which can be found at http://transformationalgirlfriends.wordpress.com/2007/11/07/the-non-juggling-challenge/
Maybe there’s simply too much on your list and it’s not reasonable to pay attention to it all – it gets overwhelming and then you do even less. Putting it on your schedule is a fabulous idea…and it may not be enough.
There’s only so much time in the day – so reduce your expectations, at least for now, about what you expect to accomplish in those areas you’re not following through on. Or drop them entirely, at least for now, especially if the only purpose they’re serving at the moment is to make you feel less than wonderful about yourself.
Natalie said: “This week on my list: E-mailing 5 new contacts a day introducing them to Ageless-Sages.com and inviting them to participate in one of several ways, including sponsoring the Read for Life project. Ooh, that felt good! Thanks for asking.”
So….how are you doing with that? Ageless-Sages (http://www.ageless-sages.com/) is a phenomenal new program that Natalie has developed that develops elderly friendly books.
April…How are you doing with your feed reader? I know that I follow way to many blogs, although not as many as Robert Scoble …but then, that’s his job!
[…] ways, and sometimes by your own intellect). And of course, there’s the whole issue of time which I constantly struggle with and posted about earlier this […]
I have found that if I take the time to go back and thoughtfully examine my overflowing TD list, a handful of items, which I thought were semi-critical at the time, can be discarded all-together. I start with a purposeful examination of my TD list to make sure I actually want “to do” what’s there!
Cooper,
That’s totally true! Wouldn’t it be great if we could eliminate those items from our list before they even got on there. What kinds of things get on there that shouldn’t? Is there a pattern?
Sometimes folks put items on their to-do list as a means of procrastinating around something they don’t want to do. Those are often the things that shouldn’t be there in the first place. And often the things we can discard altogether.
d
Hmm, Donna, your last entry was five days ago…..
You are being watched (and listened to I might add)…
Prioritizing: I recently got a chance to increase my salary in a hefty way but it would cost me some time away from my family. I am pleased that there wasn’t even a nano second of consideration. It pleased me because I sometimes wonder if I’m really keeping focused on what matters most to me. The challenge was very reaffirming.
We don’t have time for everything, but are we staying focused on our true prioritize?
In the meantime, “hi!” to all those mutual friends that I stay connected with just via thinking of you all periodically (Kerul, Nat, Coop, and oh so many more.
Have a great week
d
Hi Donna,
So glad to see that you’ve gotten your blog up and running. Yay!
The subject of “to-do” lists is often an unpleasant one for many people, myself included. For years, I found that the list(s) grew longer and the time grew shorter.
When I eliminated everything on the lists that were “shoulds” I freed up a lot of time to do the things I really wanted to do and did them better than I ever would have if there had been a “should” attached to them.
I’m also a big fan of the “3 Ds” (dump it-deal with it or-delegate it) which has made the items that remain on the list the ones I really want to tackle. The end result is that I get more done than I used to because I’m only doing the things I enjoy doing and am good at. I take everything else off my plate.
I’m looking forward to seeing more of your blog entries and the comments of your readers.
🙂
L