I know that yesterday I said I would try to stay away from the "New Year, New Me" kinds of posts. I've always hated New Year's resolutions. They always just seemed like one more thing to keep up with. That being said, I reserve the right to start new good habits any time, and I think I've found one I can stick with.
When I was a kid, there was always a list on my grandfather's kitchen table. He lived alone after my grandmother died, and sometimes there would be so much stuff piled and stacked on the table that there was barely room for anyone to eat. But there was always room for his list, and it was always closest to his place at the table. He didn't always get everything scratched off for a given day, but he always knew what he needed to get done.
I was reminded of this over the holidays when I met a guy who told me his boss makes a list for every workday. Every day, anything that wasn’t done from the day before is carried over, and the old list is thrown away. The first thing the list says is "Check the list." Every day, it’s the first thing. “Check the list.” Right away, you get to scratch something off. You've accomplished something before you even finish your coffee. It’s positive forward momentum
I've found in the last few weeks that if I write something down on the notepad on my desk, it has a much better chance of getting done. And I know it’s only ink on paper, but it feels pretty good scratching things off. I feel like I've accomplished a bit, even if it's only checking the list.