A choose your own adventure.

As promised on Facebook- to those of you who follow me both places- a choose your own adventure! Well, sort of. Let me explain a little bit of background here first.

I love lists. I lived by them in collage. Well, my whole life actually. If I don't have a list, I don't get it done. However, since the birth of my son, I find that lists can be very discouraging. When DJ was first born, I would sit down at the beginning of the week, just as I used to, and make a "master list" of all that needed to be done that week. Then I'd break it up into days... These 5 things need to be done on Monday, I'm going to do these 2 big tasks on Tuesday, run errands on Wednesday, etc. However, when you're living with the beautiful unpredicability of a small child, it becomes hard to get things done. Monday would end, and I'd only have one thing (if that!) done. Tuesday would begin and I would be determined to get both Tuesday and Monday's list done. And, once again, major fail. It got discouraging very quickly. I tried to lower my expecations and not worry about getting anything done, only... I would end up not getting anything done, even when I did have the time to do it.

The following is something that has been brewing around in my head for a while. I have been starting the day without a real list, but with the attitude of trying to get as much done that day as I am able. This "Choose your own adventure" (Us scientists like to call them dichotomous keys) has guided how I approach my non-existent to-do list. At the end of the day I find I am able to look back and have a good number of things done.

So here you have it:

A choose your own adventure in getting things done that weren’t on your list.


#1) You see or think of a task that needs to be done.   Can you do it now?    Yes - go to #2. No- go to#3

#2) Don’t delay! Do it now! ~

#3) Why can’t you do it? If something else must be done before you can tackle this particular task, then go to #4. If you don’t have time- go to #5. If you don’t feel like it, throw your feelings out the door & pick one of the other two options. 

#4) Can you do that other task now? Yes -go to #2. No- go to #3

#5) You don’t have the time because: The task takes more time than you have right now – go to #6. If you are in the middle of something else- go to # 9.

#6) Do you have your schedule or paper handy? Yes- go to #7. No- go to #8.

#7) Yes! You always carry your schedule or paper with you. Write in the task that needs to be done in an appropriate time slot. ~

#8) No! You’re not one to have paper or scheduling devices handy. You need to either get it and write down the task, or (less desirable) make a mental note.~

#9) You are in the middle of something else. Is your current activity more important than the new task? (eg. - are you entertaining a baby? Or watching a TV show?) Yes- go to #10. No- go to #12

#10) Can you pause your activity? Yes- go to #6. No- go to #11

#11) Carry on with that very important activity! ~

#12) The activity isn’t as important as the task, so the task should be your first priority. However, does your current activity really need to be done? Yes- go to #13. No- go to #16

#13) Do you have paper/schedule book? Yes- to got #14. No- go to #15

#14) Write down your activity so you can remember to do it later, and start the new task. ~

#15) Get paper & write the activity down for later, or make a mental note, and start the new task. ~

#16) Drop whatever you were wasting time on & start the new task! ~