I have spent much of my adult life keeping three distinct threads in order: Work, school, and home.
At work, my ability to communicate anything with any measure of confidence, clarity, or cohesiveness is thanks to the lists I keep. I make one for:
- Projects and accomplishments throughout the year, so I’m ready for midyear and year-end self-assessment and manager reviews.
- One-on-one topics that I need to discuss with my manager.
- Daily and weekly goals.
While pursuing my degrees and certifications, calendars and syllabi and deadlines were not enough to keep me on track, and so I always kept a separate set of lists that broke down the work that needed to be done within the week, the day, the month.
And at home, well, where would I be without my old school weekly calendar, where I take pen to paper and jot down the weekly chores, errands, and the daily goals that keep me sane? I would be nowhere…or all over the stinking place.
My lists are not complicated. The point is not to give myself yet one more thing to do by creating something intricate or inaccessible. It’s to make some order out of the chaos, yes, but also to add the flavor of intention into my days. Things hardly ever go as planned, but lists keep me organized, help me focus, and make the impossible possible by breaking those big dreams down into small, achievable to-do’s. They also serve as motivation for me. The act of checking something off after it’s done is a small but potent hit of endorphins, especially in pursuits that take a long time to bear fruit.
On this fine Monday, I share with you a brilliant list created by one of the youngest members of my family. At the wise age of eight, my girl understands the importance of an intentional day. Her name is Arianna. Her mom shared this list with me and gave me permission to post it to my coaching blog. I hope you find it as inspiring as I do.
May your week be chockfull of check marks, kids.
S
Light of Day Coaching LLC 