Chapter 2: You Don't Have to Do It All Today

"I want better for my children than a mother who exhausts herself with her perpetual race to the end of a never-ending to-do list."

This is our living room/office/play area.

I understood this chapter with every inch of my body! The never-ending to-do list is mind boggling. I'd try to make a list of everything I needed and wanted to accomplish in my home, with my kids, with my business, for my husband, etc and I can't even finish the list. My mind goes blank after I write a whole page of to-dos and I'm not even done with the list so, I give up. I end up ignoring most of the things I want to do and in the back of my mind it constantly bothers me. So I try to just get something done during the day. I finish cleaning one area and turn around once to see it all undone by little hands. Seriously it is a loosing battle!

After reading chapter 2 a few times, I really liked Debra Woods' advice and decided to give it a try. First don't even bother comparing yourself to another "Perfect Mom" because they probably have extra help, if not hired help! Then she explains how she has 4 lists -

1. Standing Daily To-Do List (things that have to get done everyday like feeding the pets, cleaning the kitchen, etc.)
2. A-List or the Hot List (things that need to get done today or at the latest tomorrow)
3. B-List (things that I'd like to get done at some point but not right away)
4. C-List (things I'd like to get done but in reality may never get done)

Mrs. Woods goes on to explain that during the day, if she's accomplished her Daily To-Do & A List, she's had a very productive day. If she does more than whats on the first two lists, it's extra credit.

I added a little more to these steps for beginners like me. Here is a sample of my first try on making to-do lists.

• Ruth's Standing Daily To-Do List (no more than 3 for beginners like me, soon I'll add; make my bed, take a bath, & brush my teeth!)

1. Clean the kitchen sink & dinning table (our ant, roach, & fruit flies were becoming a MAJOR problem)
2. Look at your calendar & plan next day
3. Read your scriptures
   

• Ruth's A-List (No more than 5. As suggested by Debra Woods, one "just for fun" item for your kids and one for you or your husband.)

1. Go to the Market
2. Call Landlord
3. Pay Credit Card bill
4. Take kids to the park
5. Finish scrapbooking one page

This looks do-able huh?

• Ruth's B-List (This kinda becomes my list of what I hope to accomplish during this month list.)
  

1. Go to a recycling center and get $
2. Clean bathroom
3. Send out all my Christmas Cards
4. Write thank yous
5. Take things to the thrift store
6. Clean kitchen floor
7. Pay Credit Card bills
8. Cut kids nails
9. Make a budget
10. Cut Rudy's hair
11. etc
    

• Ruth's C-List

1. Laundry (this never ever seems to get done so why stress about it? Maybe someday it will move up the list...)
2. Clean oven
3. Organize all my papers
4. Finish Kyra's baby album before Apr. 29
5. Finish mission album
6. Organize all my recipies
7. Go through every box I own, purge, sort, organize
8. Clean the hall closet
9. Make our office/computer area workable
   
10. etc. (this list goes on and on...)
    

I've been doing this now for almost one week and amazingly, I've accomplished more than I have in a LONG time! At the end of the day I feel so much more successful! It's a wonderful feeling! And now my kitchen looks like this!!! I should have taken a before picture...oh, well...but the ants & fruit flies are still looking for food but they are finding it harder to hang around when there isn't any thing to eat!

If I can do it being pregnant, 3 kids five years old and under, ALL home for the winter holiday...You CAN do it too! Good luck! I'd love to hear your success stories too! I'll keep updating you with the rest of my house, I still got LOTS to do!

Back to Book: "It's Okay to Take a Nap"