Ta-Done!

I don't keep a to-do list.  For the most part, I'm pretty good at knowing what needs to be worked on.  In fact, I'm probably an over-achiever and expect to do too much.  Keeping a list like this is a hold-over from my working days when I had to track my time.  Back then, I did keep track of what I needed to do, and then checked it off when it was done.  Anything still on the list was carried over to the next day.  Often times, I was too busy to log my hours on a daily basis, so the list was a way for me to remember the things I did and needed to account for.

My busiest day is generally Monday.  Tasks pile up over the weekend and I try to catch up early in the week.  Another reason I keep a list, is so I don't duplicate efforts.  For instance, I want to clean TBGs CPAP equipment every two or three days.  It's easy to lose track of when it was last done, so I look back at the list.  Some tasks can slip through the cracks, like damp mopping the kitchen floor. If I haven't done it in the last three days, I know it's gotta be done that day.  I'll also indicated when we're giving pup meds, which helps me remember which day and dose she is on.

By the end of the week, my task list gets shorter.  There are also some tasks that I set aside for specific days of the week.  If we go on vacation, that day can shift, so then I know when the new day becomes.  That might sound OCDish, but for instance, I launder sheets and linens once per week.  I'd rather be sure of the last day I did it so that I don't duplicate the effort after four or five days.  It's a labor intensive task so I don't want to do it before it needs to be done.  Some tasks are seasonal, so I can look back to see when I last did something such as vacuuming out the heating vents, or changing the oil in a car.  I'll also log if I'm sick or injured, which helps me recall when I have to make a doctor's visit for something that recurs.

Anything I purchase is documented with a receipt, which I staple to the appropriate day.  That way, if I need to go back and get a refund or do a return, I don't have to dig around for a receipt.  I do enter the amount I spend right on the list itself, just for reference.  Keeping this list is also good so I can see what I pay for regularly purchased items.  That helps me determine if a sale is really a good price.

This might seem wacky to some folks, but it helps me a lot.