Sanity Saver: To Do List Template
One of the things that makes me crazy about myself is that I always have these ideas that I KNOW that if I don't write them down, they will simply fly out of my head - so I have random pieces of paper, in an organized stack (thank you....) and it continues to grow taller, this stack... it's just getting bigger... and what is happening to the ideas in that stack? You guessed it.
NOTHING.
So, what follows is what I've started doing, and here is what has helped me to do it:
I use this template. I'm funny about sticking to things like this, though, so I'm careful to put it in the best, most visible, place, and to use it without judgement. This is what I do.
The 3 rows under the title are each to be checked off AS THEY HAPPEN.
The first line is about water and food! It's a good reminder for workaholics to get sufficient nutrients into our bodies. Seriously, forgetting to eat and/or drink accounts for FAR too large a number of hospitalizations! Just make a mark on each one as you do them throughout the day, maybe add a time stamp if you're really in a tracking mood!
The second line, Interrupt is about stopping yourself when you are involved in old patterns: behaviors AND thoughts! Seriously. If you find yourself stuck in a thought vacuum, or if you're arguing with someone over something cyclical, INTERRUPT and ask a better question: What is the best way to move forward? Or something like that.
MOVE, the third line, is just what it says. Take 10-15 minutes THREE TIMES EVERY DAY to move your body. Move. Your. Body. With purpose and intention - move your body AT least this much every day. And check it off once it is done! Huzzah! Look at your ToDo List getting done so awesomely!
Note that I have only 3 priorities for the day. If there are more than 3 priorities, they aren't all priorities. The root of the word priority is "prior" meaning "before", meaning that these need to be done before other things are done. This is not a judgement, it is an order of operations. You can have a LONG list elsewhere (that's what my stack is!), but for now, think about THREE, and after they are written, focus on ONE at a time. (I know, its CRAZY to consider...)
Questions to help me be successful MAY include empowering questions like "how can I crush these objectives today" or may be more practical things like "How can I best accomplish the specific thing I need to do?" Keep your questions focused on SOLUTIONS.
Don't forget for tomorrow - yeah, some things WON'T get done today, and that's ok. PLAN for that mid-day by rearranging your priorities! Plans are there to guide us, but if we try to hold too tightly to them, we inevitably end up in pain. Feel the freedom that comes with "I will do that tomorrow".
For fun, at the end of my workday, I pull a paper from my stack. I look at it and see what I can take action on, or if I even still want to. Often I do want to - hence this new page for all of you!
Feeling state at 5pm gives you a perfect place to jot down a reflection of the day. Keep it short - keep it specific - keep it to track your patterns. If you can't figure it out, bring it to me and we can play in the data!!!
Go be creative, be amazing, be powerful, be kind... and be a better you ON PURPOSE using UBeWellS emotional tools for life.
UBeWellS Template for a Brighter Day
water | food | water | food | water | food
Interrupt | Interrupt | Interrupt | Interrupt | Interrupt | Interrupt
MOVE | MOVE | MOVE
Top 3 Priorities for TODAY:
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Questions to help me be successful:
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Don't forget for tomorrow:
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DRAW: draw a page from the stack and take action on ONE element of it
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Feeling state at 5pm:
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