TGIF! {the To-Do list edition}

This week I've focused on making my daily to-do list manageable.  And not only creating a manageable list, but actually following through and completing each task.  (Crazy idea, right?)

Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday were a success.  Tuesday and Wednesday even included a trip outside of the house with both boys and I was ready to pat myself on the back.  Then came Thursday.  I don't know if I was just in a slump and that is to blame for not getting through my reasonable list, or if not getting everything crossed off and completed is what sent me into a slump.  Either way it wasn't pretty.  I'm grateful I was able to keep myself somewhat in check and didn't fall into full on "I'm done with this" attitude, but I was irritated and as a result left nearly half of my list untouched. 

As a stay at home mom, I put a lot of pressure on myself.  I've said it before, and its worth mentioning again (and again) that my greatest struggle is how I picture things SHOULD be.  Thankfully I am learning to give myself a little grace and accept that some days aren't going to go as planned.  Sometimes I won't be as productive as I'd like to be.  Sometimes my child will act like a human pinball inside of Ikea and bounce around the store with me chasing behind to the point I will feel like I could have added "Exercise for one hour" on my list for that day.  (Tuesday.  Thank God for meatballs to make the trip worth it!)  Some days there will be a few things that don't get crossed off the to-do list.  But luckily for me, I will have another chance to try again the next day.

Yesterday my list included 15 min cleaning in our bathroom.  It didn't get done so I wrote it down on today's list.  I'm happy to say that I spent the 15 minutes cleaning, and then took a few extra minutes to sweep & mop.  Our house isn't spotless, but when I stay on top of things and rotate through different rooms that need attention, its not so bad! 

As soon as I finish this post which just happens to be #6 on today's list, there will only be three tasks left... including #5 - pack.  The biggest, the littlest and I are heading for an overnight trip to my parent's house this weekend.  I'll reward my efforts this week with a cup of coffee from our favorite coffee shop on the way up, and some good time with my family as a way to recharge before coming home and giving it a go again next week!

Tackling the To-Dos!

Lets talk lists!

I am the type of person that really enjoys the process of making a list, and crossing things off.  I think its because I strive to be productive and organized, but with 4 kiddos now, productive and organized are not always words that I would use to describe myself or our life.

Side note:  Does anyone else ever write something down and cross it off AFTER you've completed the task?

Sitting down with my notebook and a cup of coffee is part of my usual morning routine, but I frequently find myself caught in this vicious cycle of writing #allthethings, not having the time/energy/motivation/ability to finish #allthethings, and then feeling down and frustrated because if I didn't cross off #allthethings, than I must not have been very productive for the day.  And in my mind a non productive day is not a "good day".

Is this a struggle that all moms have, or is this a SAHM thing?  Either way, its something that has the potential to either leave me feeling great or (as its happened more and more recently....) not so great.

This week I am going to make a conscious effort to limit my daily to-do list to 10 manageable tasks.  I will brainstorm a special mama treat to celebrate when I am able to follow through on my list every day this week!

How do you manage your to-dos?  Are you a list person like me or do you have a different system?  I'd love to hear your thoughts and/or suggestions!