Thank you for visiting The Homesteading Cottage. If you subscribe to our blog via RSS feed or email, you'll get helpful tips on simplicity, organization, all things DIY, natural cooking, entertaining, homesteading and emergency preparedness sent straight to you!
Do you ever have those days when nothing seems to get accomplished? You have this running list in your head only to have things pop up to distract the focus and now the success for which you planned is out the window. I know...I've been there and it gets frustrating. But over the years I've learned a trick to turn that unproductive day into something successful.
If you haven't noticed, I like lists and there's a reason. It declutters the mind and keeps me focused. I see a visual of what needs to be accomplished and it propels me forward. I used to make huge, long lists of everything in my life that was a should-do. I quickly found them overwhelming and daunting. By getting back to basics and embracing the "doing a little each day" method of my Grandmother and Mother, I was able to do more than I ever imagined.
And so I embraced The 7 Daily Do's and they've been such a blessing! It's a simple list of 7 to-do's for the day, additional to the normal chores. I've found that a small list of 7 things seems to be the magic number. It's not so much as to overwhelm, but yet not too small to make you feel unproductive.
In a notebook I keep two 7 Daily Do's...one for business and the other for my personal life. The night before a list of 7 tasks is made for each. As a task is completed, it gets marked off the list. This way I can clearly see what needs to be done and with each mark-off, a sense of accomplishment grows.
If all 7 tasks are done and there's still time left in the day, then I'll add more, but only if everything on the list is completed. That way there's not a perpetual list that never ends. If there are things not completed by the end of the day, they simply carry over to be included as one of The 7 Daily Do's for the next day...no guilt here!
This is also a great self directing tool for kids. Use it for their chores or projects. When kids know what to expect, they thrive and confidence abounds. You may be surprised at how organized they become!
If you feel like life is a little bit out of control, staying organized and focused can be as easy as jotting down 7 simple tasks each day and checking them off when you're done. Before you know it, all of those perpetual to-do's will be a thing of the past (;
Do you like lists or do you have another system for getting things done? What's worked for you?
I hope you'll continue to join us for our 31 Days of Preparation journey. For Day 8 we'll go into more detail on how preparation can be the key to a successful day. Enter your email below and each post will automatically be delivered to your inbox. Don't forget to stop by the many other 31 Dayers for additional inspiration!
In Gratitude,
New to The Homesteading Cottage? Don't miss a post and subscribe here...
