First things first- if you are looking for the 'My First Quilt' parade info (and you should), scroll down. Still plenty of time to join in the fun. Just do your thing by Monday and let me know!
(Warning: this might be a super boring post, but I get asked about time management tips so often that I thought it was worth doing a post about. Especially since I now have one tip. Well, sorta.)
To-do lists and me, me and to-do lists. Up until recently, its pretty much been a lose-lose relationship. I tend to overcrowd my daily to-do lists with really big things like: design 6 new projects, or clean and declutter whole house, or plan a menu for this month (I dare you to guess how long its been since that one happened). Most of the time though, the problem wasn't necessarily the items on the list itself, but the sheer length of it. 20-30 items on a list like that, and you can pretty well bet that crossing off 'actually finishing the list' is never going to happen. Well, a few weeks ago, I came up with a plan...
Instead of 20-30 things on my list, I am picking 3. Three bigger-ish to-dos, every day of the week except for Sunday. (I take the whole day of rest concept and run with it.) Every night I write 3 things on my list for the next day, and 3 things only. I am obviously free to do more than is written on the list, but when I do this, I am overachieving, which feels a lot better than never finishing my darn 2 page list. Obviously there are things that just won't ever make it on the list, because they are daily things (feeding kids, cleaning up messes, putting out orders, emails, spending quality time with three fine people etc).
For example, last weeks list:
June 29
1. Write pattern for Square One
2. Restock pattern bins (aka folding and bagging until my fingers fall off)
3. FHE (Family Home Evening) with Jarom's fam
June 30
1. Get Authentic quilt top put together
2. Do math, sample block, and send fabric to mom for secret project (okay, it doesn't say that last part, but just in case you were going to ask)
3. Clean sewing room
July 1
1. Pay all bills
2. Clean downstairs
3. Clean out computer (there were less than 2 gigs of space left)
July 2
1. Organize new laptop- transfer files
2. Stipple Authentic quilt
3. Take kids swimming
July 3
1. Clean upstairs/ change all sheets
2. Write pattern for Authentic quilt
3. Start French General quilt
July 4 (this was a good day)
1-3. Hang out with fam, enjoy 4th of July, do nothing 'productive'
You get the point, right?
I would also like to point out that there is a strict NO guilt policy after finishing the list. If I finish my 3 things, I am allowed to sit around and blog, sew, or just hang out with the fam, guilt-free, never thinking about those patterns that need to be written, bathrooms that need cleaning, etc.
For me, it works. I get a surprising amount more done, and I'm much cheerier when I'm accomplishing goals (and then some) instead of falling short. THAT = a happy me.
So there you have it. Now you know. I'm just as boring as the next guy (well, girl). Not like you didn't know that already.
What tricks do you have up your sleeve?
And please don't say things like "cleaning lady" or "personal assistant" because I just can't handle the jealousy. ;-) Seriously.
Oh, I made a red velvet cake for the boys tonight. It wasn't real pretty, but it was tasty! Nothing short of a miracle.
Here's the proof that it actually came from my kitchen:
Sure, I haven't made a cake for... who knows how long (???),
but since it wasn't one of my 3 things today,
I feel like such an overachiever....
and it's a good day.
