Big to do over my to-do list

Dr. William Northcutt is a State Gazette Staff writer and former Professor of English

*I love writing my to-do lists. I keep one for work; one for home.

*It’s the first thing I do at home, the first thing I do at work.

*I especially love my home to-do list on weekends. After breakfast, I drink a second cup of coffee and enumerate my day’s plans.

*Usually, the weekend lists are long, and I never get everything on them done.

*Knowing that I’ll have coffee and write my lists motivates me to get out of bed.

*My son James scoffed, “Papa, you get so excited over your lists, as though they’re a huge deal.”

*I answered, “They ARE a big deal.”

*I noticed that when I feel overwhelmed with what I have to do, writing a list makes it all seem manageable.

*There’s a satisfaction like none other when I complete a task and scratch it out on that paper.

*I prefer small legal pads for my lists.

*Alternatively, I use spiral notebooks that have the metal on top. I’m left handed, and the side spirals annoy me.

*During the day, I carry a list with me. If I’m doing something with tools at my workbench in the garage, I take it there. If my activities are centered in the kitchen, I put it on the dining table.

*For activities I do every day, I use abbreviations, even when I don’t need to a reminder. T = brush teeth; S = take a shower; L = clean my cat Luna’s litter box.

*Some chores require double or triple entries. K1, K2, K3 = clean the kitchen at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

*M1, M2 = medicines twice daily.

*However, I have to be careful with abbreviations or single words for actions that are not repeats. If I write something such as “light,” I might forget whether I need to change a light bulb, add light to photos I’m processing, eat less so that I won’t be as heavy, etc.

*I should have learned, but this happens more than I’d like to admit.

*Because of poor listing, I’ve not been able to recall a task. There are probably 100 tasks that never got completed and live in the great limbo to-do list in the sky.

*Some items on my list give an extra surge of endorphins. If I see “laundry,” I know that while I’m folding clothes or ironing, I’ll get to watch TV.

*I’ll have an item on my list but still procrastinate. My work list right now says I have to phone a couple of sources for articles. I don’t really feel like conversing today, so I’ll put that off and then feel bad about it.

*Likewise, I need to resubmit my federal income tax forms. I’ve written “taxes” on every home list for the last six weeks.

*Same applies to using my carpet cleaner.

*Recently, I noticed that my lists were comprised of chores. I’ve started adding fun things too – guitar playing, excursions with my animals, photography, books, walks.

*Mostly, I enjoy my lists because I like to feel that I’ve accomplished something. After the final corrections of this column, I’ll submit it and enjoy checking it off my list.

*If you see me on the street, tell me about your lists. Seriously. I’d love to hear about yours.

William Northcutt is a writer for the State Gazette and former professor of English at Dyersburg State.