Tip for not feeling like crap at the end of a day when your to-do list is still full:
Write down all the things you actually did. move the remaining things to the next day’s list so your final day’s end list is empty. This reflects the fact that you usually don’t get certain things done because you’ve had to do other things. Which is normal, natural and good. But if you don’t write down what you actually did, you’ll feel like you did nothing.
Self-validation is the key to everything.
I’ve been trying to figure out ways to not forget errands on my list while I’m out doing them. Quite often, though having taken care to write all the Important To Do items on my list, I get in the car and completely forget where I’m going next and why, reverting instead to my default behaviour of driving straight home. Once I’m home, I remember what I forgot to do, and I kick myself, but I don’t have time to go back and do the things I missed on my route.
Tonight, I had to pick up a prescription for painkillers on my way home. I was terrified I would forget, so on the way I began to sing, ‘scat’ style.
(melody) You neeeeeeeeed to turn right at the maaaaaaaaLlll! Don’t forget you neeeeeeeeeeeeeed to go to the DRUUUUUUUG store!
It was quite a catchy little melody. I wish you could have heard it. I wish I could sing it for you right now. Sadly I think it would lose its magic.
I went on and on. I didn’t stop singing because I knew if I stopped singing, I would drive past the mall. So, I improvised on the original tune, changed chord progressions, invented bass lines and descants.
(bass) You NEED. You NEED. To GO. To GO. To TURN. To TURN, turn RIGHT. Turn RIGHT.
(descant) At the MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALL.
(rhythm part) Don’t-don’t-don’t-don’t-don’t-don’t-don’t-don’t-don’t-don’t-don’t-don’t forget.
And then, as the mall drew nearer, I changed the lyrics for the ‘bridge’.
(melody) You’re getting NEARER, you’re getting NEARER; You can turn RIGHT soon, going through the LIGHT soon.
(bass) the LIGHT. the LIGHT. Turn RIGHT after the LIGHT. You’ll be alRIGHT. alRIGHT. You’re in SIGHT of the LIGHT.
(rhythm) soon-soon-soon-soon-soon-soon-soon-soon-soon-soon-soon-soon-soon-soon-soon-soon-soon-soon-soon-soon-soon-soon
(descant) you’ll have your PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLS…your PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLS
I cannot recommend this technique enough to anyone and everyone who suffers with the degree of temporary amnesia that I suffer with. It will cure you of all your troubles.
However, I suggest you do not try it unless you are alone in the car.
Besides, if your spouse is anything like mine and is riding in the car with you, you can just give the list of important things you have to do to your beloved.
I guarantee that he/she will be quite pleased to remind you of what you’ve forgotten in plenty of time to go back to the store. In fact, you will probably be made aware of your oversight just as soon as you miss the turn.
On my list of things to do each day I have added the following repeating task:
“Face your problems. Solve them.”
It’s tempting to run away otherwise. I want to run away every day.
I want life to be easy. Life isn’t easy. And wishing it were easy just makes me sad.
Accepting that life is difficult makes me happier, because I work harder to get through it. If I have low expectations but set high goals, I am usually happy with the results.
Facing problems and not living with my head in the sand makes life much less painful, much less fearful.
All of that might sound trite, but there are several thousand ways of stating the basic problems in life, and the above is the simplest I’ve found, and it motivates me to keep working…because it isn’t confusing. You know. “Life is hard. Figure out how to be happy. Don’t wait and don’t ignore your problems because they’ll only get worse.” That kind of thing.