Bobbi Jones Jones
Recently I was scrambling around trying to finish the formatting of my book, Dragon Kind, when I found myself grumbling about how there was never enough time to do anything. I couldn't write because I needed to work on the formatting, and I couldn't do the formatting because I needed to make a new post for my blog, plus I hadn't done any visiting to my blogger friends, etc. and so forth. You know what I'm talking about.
And then I ran across this quote and it smacked me up the side of my head! I've read about making schedules before, but I'm not very good about keeping them. Usually when I get up, I would start by putting out the fires that were shouting for my attention and hope I'd get to what I wanted to do. Well, today I did something different. I refused to listen to the alarm bells and decided that if they had waited this long, they could wait a little longer.
I made a list of what I wanted to accomplish today, and in what order I wanted to accomplish it in. I gave myself ample time with each task so I wasn't racing through the job and then I started with number one. Believe it or not, even though the day isn't over yet, I'm zooming through my list and I don't feel harried or pressured.
I'm sure there will be days when things go off kilter, but I'm prepared for those also. If something else demands my attention that I can't avoid, I have an eraser on the end of my pencil and I can re-arrange my list. This wasn't any profound idea that I'm revealing to the world, it's just the simple idea of deciding to do what I want and need to get done. And the rest can wait until tomorrow!
"We can do anything we want to do if we stick to it long enough." ~ Helen Keller
That saying is very true. If we want to get something done, we'll make the time.
ReplyDeleteI keep my to-do lists short. That helps as well!
Alex: Keeping your to-do lists short is an excellant idea. It's a good feeling to see everything crossed off!
DeleteI need reminding of this now and again. I've gotten away from making lists but now I need to get back to it.
ReplyDeleteSusan: I hope your list making goes well. Remember, one day at a time.
DeleteSo simple, yet so true. I have lists all over everything! Great reminder.
ReplyDeleteAnn: I'm trying sticky notes. You can put them up anywhere!
DeleteHow true - you have to make time to get done what you need to get done. I should make lists but I'm too lazy. It isn't that I don't have time - just kind of don't want to make them - but I'll figure it out one of these days - lol. E :)
ReplyDeleteElysabeth Eldering
Author of FINALLY HOME, a middle grade/YA mystery written very similar to a Nancy Drew mystery
http://elysabethsstories.blogspot.com
http://eeldering.weebly.com
elysabeth: I wouldn't go so far as to say lists are for everyone, just for some. You have managed to write your book Finally Home and your other stories too. Some people seem to be more organized. Perhaps you are one of them.
DeleteNot really organized. I wrote Finally Home during NaNo sort of, so that was frenzied writing. The state stories are sort of organized in that I have all my research done; it's just a matter of deciding which facts to use for each state. The rest of it is very disorganized and I really should do a daily list of to-dos so I can stay on track more. E:-)
DeleteHi, Karen! Great post. I've been working on prioritizing my to-do list. Enjoyed the quotes. : )
ReplyDeleteSusanne: Prioritizing our lists is a real knack, I think. Knowing what to do first and then fitting in the rest. I bet I'll learn as I go along.
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