TRADING "TO DO" FOR "DONE"

Cave kayaking was on my friend Margo's To-Do list. Mark it Done!

Okay, I am one of those people who likes making lists of things I need or want to do (because lists help me to actually remember what it is I need/want to do) and then marking things off said list.

Laundry. Groceries. Pay bills. Strikethroughs make me ridiculously happy.

A completed To-Do list gives me a sense of accomplishment. Chronic to-do lists -  lists of things that never get done, like clean out the attic, thin the daylilies, finish upstairs bedrooms - make me feel discouraged and incompetent.

One of my daughters recently reminded me of the value of taking time to reflect on meaningful accomplishments that never even make the to-do list, things like: I bathed and fed all my kids today. I made eye contact with each of my children and listened to them info-dump. I refilled my prescription on time.

This got me to thinking: What if instead of starting each day with a To-Do list, I waited until the end of each day and made a Done list? There are a bazillion things I did NOT do today - and I could feel bad about that - or I could focus instead of what I DID do.

Today's DONE List:

• I ate a healthy breakfast.
• I drank plenty of water.
• I made a pitcher of fruit tea for my mom's dominoes group tomorrow.
• I deleted a bunch of junk from email.
• I listened attentively as a dementia patient discussed recent health issues.
• I hauled a bag of trash to the bin out next to the highway.
• I put away my laundry.
• I listened to a podcast while driving between home visits.
• I taught a caregiver how to change a dressing.
• I sat on the porch swing and fed the mosquitos.

I kind of like the positive twist of reflecting at the end of the day on what I did do, instead of what I did not do.

What about you? What is something on your Done List today?