SiteRW Makeover #1: What your to-do list has in common with toddlers….
by Jennifer ApplinÂ
Toddlers have really bizarre eating habits (second only to college students). I first realized this a few years ago with my daughter and my boys have followed suit. Regardless of the variety of food I put in front of them, they’d only eat what they wanted (usually just one type of food for an entire day or two). I started to worry that they weren’t eating a balanced diet until I received some great advice. Instead of tracking their food intake over the course of a day, I needed to analyze it a week at a time. Sure enough, within a week’s time they were getting plenty from each food group (although oddly it was all fruit one day, all meat another, etc.).Â
Thanks to my helpful phone session with life coach, Victoria Moran, I realized that I needed to apply this same philosophy to my to-do list. I was feeling too stressed when my work-related plans were thrown out the window because the kids had a snow day. Instead of planning a rigid daily schedule I needed to come up with a realistic weekly one. In doing so, Victoria suggested that I’d still get just as much done and wouldn’t feel as stressed. I’ve tried this for a few weeks now and she’s right! Of course a deadline is a deadline and there is no way around that, but when it comes to all of the extras like marketing, research, etc. they are no longer scheduled on any specific day. Instead they are broken down on a general weekly to-do list, getting crossed off as time allows throughout the week. Not only have I alleviated a source of unplanned stress, but I’ve been able to allow a little spontaneous fun back into my day :-)  [ja]
4 Responses to “RW Makeover #1: What your to-do list has in common with toddlers….”
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LindaFormichelli
Said this on February 23rd, 2007 at 6:15pm:Jennifer, that’s a great idea!
Courtney
Said this on February 23rd, 2007 at 6:52pm:I never thought about my to do list that way! That’s really refreshing and much less stressful than how I’d been approaching thing. And with a two year old of my own, I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of it that way before. I’ve been using the “weekly average” nutrition approach for quite some time.
Jennifer
Said this on March 19th, 2007 at 10:47am:I’m a longtime reader, and this is my first comment here. Since you posted this suggestion about viewing your to-do list on a weekly rather than a daily basis, I’ve been trying it — and it is fantastic! Like you said, it has changed my stress levels completely. I don’t have to take time every morning to plan my day, and the list makes me feel much more successful! Thank you for this great tip!
Jennifer Applin
Said this on March 21st, 2007 at 10:27am:Jennifer-Thanks so much for the great comment! I’m glad this suggestion is working