I am a list maker. I make lists for everything. No, really, I mean everything. Detailed lists. I even have a list of lists that I need to make. I take my list making seriously... no post-it notes on the computer monitor for me.
When I was working, the first thing I'd do every Monday morning was to make a list of things I'd like to accomplish for the entire work week. My work lists had categories and sub-categories of things I needed to do... priorities, follow-up items, phone calls to make and return, everyday action items, etc. I included everything I could think of on my lists, even the most mundane things like, "update list everyday" and "enter time in prolaw."
This list making practice was a fluid practice because new matters came up all the time and priorties changed almost hourly. Having an action item that was a priority at 8:00 on Monday moring relegated to "future project" by 10:00 am on Tuesday was not an infrequent occurrence. Always the change in status was dictated by the clients, not me.
As action items were completed, I'd tick them off one by one by drawing a thick black line through it. I did this because at the end of the week, I had a visual image reflecting all of the things I had accomplished.
Starting tomorrow, I won't be making a list of things that need to be accomplished by Friday at 5:00 pm. The things that need to get done and need to be accomplished related to raising my kids can't really be measured in weeks. The rewards for the new and different efforts that I will start putting forth tomorrow won't be seen for several years to come.
When I was working, the first thing I'd do every Monday morning was to make a list of things I'd like to accomplish for the entire work week. My work lists had categories and sub-categories of things I needed to do... priorities, follow-up items, phone calls to make and return, everyday action items, etc. I included everything I could think of on my lists, even the most mundane things like, "update list everyday" and "enter time in prolaw."
This list making practice was a fluid practice because new matters came up all the time and priorties changed almost hourly. Having an action item that was a priority at 8:00 on Monday moring relegated to "future project" by 10:00 am on Tuesday was not an infrequent occurrence. Always the change in status was dictated by the clients, not me.
As action items were completed, I'd tick them off one by one by drawing a thick black line through it. I did this because at the end of the week, I had a visual image reflecting all of the things I had accomplished.
Starting tomorrow, I won't be making a list of things that need to be accomplished by Friday at 5:00 pm. The things that need to get done and need to be accomplished related to raising my kids can't really be measured in weeks. The rewards for the new and different efforts that I will start putting forth tomorrow won't be seen for several years to come.
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