A necessary evil

I live by lists.

I’m not sure who is to blame for that, but I do think it’s an annoying trait to possess. It means I’m organized but have a disorganized side. It means I like to see the accomplishment of having something crossed off and can feel worthless if I don’t see results. It means I put a lot of stock into words. I let words dictate my mental being.

I spend a lot of time resisting lists. I try to keep them out of my work, home, and blog life. Sometimes I am an overachiever and create categories and assign days to weekly tasks. Then, when I want to be spontaneous I ignore these lists. Where does that get me? In a world of chaos and no organization. That’s when my blog posts feel disorganized and no longer follow their proposed pattern; the house gets randomly cleaned; and my work world feels stressful. Even when I realize my life is made simpler by these small bulleted words, I still resist. Eventually I get into a routine of resisting these things and feel like my world is a jumble.

Here’s a list on why I should bite the bullet and conform to always using my lists.

  • Life is less stressful
  • The accomplishment high will get me through any stressful experience
  • My life will feel more organized
  • I will be better able to manage my time
  • I should have more to show for my productivity

Why wouldn’t I put a lot of stock into words? I do have an English degree. My job is to write. Why wouldn’t those tiny words be the difference between sanity and chaos? I guess I’ll transition back to physical lists so I can leave more brain room for more important things. There’s no fun in constantly running a mental tally of your list and how well you’re doing. It ends up being another thing to add to the LIST!

What major items are on my personal list for this week? (I’d never subject you to the enormity of my work list. That may cause you to become stressed out.)

  • Picture of this ever-growing stomach and update blog world on weeks 18 and 19. As a teaser, this morning I said, “Some of these shirts don’t stand a fighting chance against this belly.”
  • Try on that bridesmaid dress I need to wear next month. I’m a little nervous about this one…so I continue to procrastinate! (I bought up THREE SIZES so I shouldn’t be afriad, but I still am.)
  • Organize gifts for said wedding and related party activities.
  • Pack for a weekend away. This may be difficult given that clothes are a last minute decision based on what fits.

I live by lists. They help my world go ’round.

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