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Where’s the List

June 8th, 2009 · 90 Comments- add yours

It’s right here in my head. 

I get up at just past 6am every morning.  I’m rested, but my eyes don’t want to come unglued.  My kidneys help me move from the bed.  Thank goodness the coffeepot is on automatic.

Now the list is taking form.  Sugar in the coffee first thing to get my brain in gear.  OK, the list is clearing.  What do I have to do?  Make the bed, empty the dishwasher, and fold the towels.  OK, easy stuff to make my wife’s life a little easier.

Now the commitments: drive Jonathan to work at 2pm, take care of grandson Anthony until 5:30pm when daughter Kristy gets home from work.  Forty-five minutes after that Irene gets home from work and makes dinner. 

My available time today is from about 7am to 2pm, plus that forty-five minutes, plus maybe an hour from 10 to 11 when Irene watches a show (dozing in and out) and I can creep away to my computer.

In my available hours, I need to exercise to keep my expansion from increasing.  We are moving soon, and I have to spend some time in the garage, packing up.  The lawn needs mowing, and there will go an hour.

How depressing.  Why don’t I just watch TV or read the mindless email ads I largely receive and I’ll write later. 

Pain and pleasure: exercise is hard (pain), writing is hard enough (pain) with all those commitments on my list.  Playing with Anthony will be pleasure, and so will mindless TV or eating, which I why I have to exercise.

Sound familiar? 

I’m not good at surrender.  I’ve learned that immediate pleasure often brings pain later, like missing a deadline, or not doing my chores to keep my business or the household moving.  I’ve also learned that immediate pain, like completing my assignments, keeping my commitments and (ugh) exercising will bring pleasure later.

My seven-hour window is my job.  I am paid (later pleasure) only if I show up for work (immediate pain).  I need to be sharp at my job.  A wise person once told me that each unfinished task is like a bleeding wound in your brain.  It diverts your thoughts.

I found a simple answer.  I make a list.  The list many times gets longer than any person could ever hope to accomplish, but I can prioritize it into “must do,” “should do,” and “would like to do.”  Some people use priority 1, 2, and 3. 

I use my word processor, so I can change priorities and deadlines.  I print out a copy every night during that last hour, because I may have a thought during the day for adding a new task, or a better way of doing an existing task.  And I update it with a fresh copy every night.

What does this buy me?

Bandages on the bleeding wounds.  I can devote myself to my job for my five hours, or how long I have without distractions.  I plan to take a break every hour for 10 minutes of exercise.  The breaks don’t come every hour, because I’m writing!  But when I can take a break, I do a small 10-minute routine that stretches my muscles and clears my mind.  It’s a form of pain management.

It works for me.  Try it.

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