Hey Friends, do you make lists? I am almost obsessive in my list making. And, believe it or not, this is not the first time I have written about it. The last time was not for a blog, it was just a personal essay that I wrote for a college class. Now, I write about the art of list making as a way to reaching out to my busy working mom friends. Hopefully, just like my posts on meal planning, you will get some take aways that help you organize your Close to Home Living.
To say that I am busy right now might be an understatement. I am teaching full time. And, if you know anyone who is a teacher, you know that a lot goes into it. If you know anyone who is a high school English (or History) teacher, you know that even more goes into it. My own kids are involved in activities five days a week (and those are not all weekdays). I am trying to make a go of this internet-blog thing. My husband (who has had a side hustle for more years than I have) is looking for me to use my new-found web experience to help his business. And, I still need to be present for my kids and husband as a mom and wife. However, list making saves me.
I have to give some credit to Becky Higgins’s youtube video where she talks about her list making. Her insights have helped me to focus my art of list making even further. After you are done here, go check out her 5 minute youtube video.
What I have Learned
Compartmentalize
Because I am have three worlds that call for my attention. It helps to make lists for each of these areas. I used to just run my home and school list together (this was pre-blog). When I did that, it didn’t keep my worlds separate, which I try to do as much as I can. Having three separate lists (on one page) makes it easier to see what needs to be done where. This is one of those things I learned from Becky Higgins. She keeps two lists–business at the top and home at the bottom. I keep three: school (work) needs at the top and then I create two columns at the bottom for home and blog/husband’s business. Now, if I have 5 minutes or 20 minutes, I can look at the list and find a job to fit the time I have and the place I am.
Use a Notebook
Sticky notes used to be my go to. I loved the big 4×6 size with lines. However, sticky notes are easily misplaced. And, it’s hard to carry them back and forth between work and home. About a year ago, I started using a steno notebook. It was easy to grab. I can carry it in my “mom bag” (which is a purse and more–maybe I’ll do a post on that some day).
As a bonus, it helped me organize a few other aspects of my life. For all you high school teachers out there–I printed class lists which I taped into the last pages. Now, if we have an unexpected fire drill or I need to keep track of something, I can just grab my notebook. Blogger friends, I have a brainstorming list in the back too.
I recently transitioned from the traditional steno notebook to the Becky Higgins Simple Notebook. (The steno notebook was full; I didn’t just change for the sake of a way cuter notebook!) Can we say love? It’s just a little smaller than a steno, so it fits better in my bag. And orange! How did Becky know that I am totally smitten with orange! Really, though, it is the perfect size for keeping your lists.
Use Bullets
I used to number. But, the truth is, the numbers didn’t mean anything except the order that I thought of them, sort of. When I stared using a highlighter (see Prioritize below), I started using bullets in stead of numbers. This allowed the list to be exactly what it is–a brainstorm of what I need to get done over the course of the next few days (or even weeks). So why bother at all? Bullets do allow me to visually see that each line is also a list item.
Break Projects Down
A pile of 75 essays is daunting. And probably most of my mom friends out there don’t have piles of 75 essays. However, you do have big tasks that you need to get done. And “clean the house” can be just a daunting. But, those 75 essays actually belong to three separate classes of the same subject. (For those of you who haven’t been in the high school world in a while, I teach English 11. I teach English 11 three times a day. For the sake of round numbers, each those classes has 25 kids, hence 75 essays.)
For me part of the joy and art of list making is the ability to cross things off the list. To feel ACCOMPLISHED. So, I break those essays down. They will appear as one line on my list, but I’ll write each section individually. It’s a bit of a mind-game, I know, but I allows me to feel like I am making progress. The same goes for tasks at home. Clean the kitchen is a big task, so break it down: empty the dishwasher, sweep the floor, etc.
Prioritize
Some things in our lives just need to get done first. But that is not always the order we think of those things. Or sometimes things come up during the day that actually take priority. This is where the highlighter comes in (and why numbers are out!). This is another tip that I picked up from Becky Higgins. Think of your “to do” list as a brainstorming list of things you need to get done. Not everything has equal weight. Things come up. Things that are more important come up throughout the day. Are you going to make a new list each time? Heck no! You’d spend your entire day making lists. Use a highlighter to help you prioritize and visualize what is most important.
Crossing things off and Start a New List
A major part of the joy and art of list making is that as list items get completed, I cross them off. One last Becky Higgins tip, the permanent black marker. That big black line makes it feel so DONE. But, truly the important thing is crossing things off. It allows you to see progress. It allows your see accomplishment. And, it allows you to feel control when the tasks at hand seem overwhelming.
Lists are fluid. They change throughout the day. Things are added. Others are completed. I try to keep the same list for a couple of days. Usually, I start a new list every other day. The usual trigger is when I run out of room (usually in my school tasks area). Another trigger is when lots of things get crossed off. Then, it’s nice to start fresh.
Starting a new list doesn’t mean starting over. It means I copy the stuff that is not done to a fresh page. I tear the old page out. There is a sense of accomplishment in doing that too.
My Tools
Currently, I am using a Becky Higgins Simple Notebook. The one that says “Magic is Something You Make.” It seems appropriate for how I am using it AND it’s orange (did I mention that already?). It makes me happy. My current pen is a Paper Mate Flair which I like to have on hand for another project I am working on. (Oh yes, Granola Girl Embroidery is coming!) But if I am not using that, I love, love, love Paper Mate Ink Joy Ballpoint (black or blue for lists, but all colors have a role in my life). My current black marker is a Bic Mark It, but I use Sharpie too. And highlighters must have a clip on them. The brand matters not.
One way I make sure that I have my tools is by having products with pen clips. Then I can attach them to the spiral of the notebook. This is actually another bonus in using a notebook–you can keep all of your list making tools together.
Happy List Making
So friends, if your not a list maker, give it a try. If you are a list maker, I hope you find new joy in the art of list making and that something in this post resonates with you. I’d love to hear about your list making tips.
PS. This post contains affiliate links. Project Life/Becky Higgins and Amazon are affiliates. When you click the link and make a purchase through the link, we make a little money, this helps to keep The Semiconservative Granola Girl going. Thank you for your support.
