![\"GettyImages-887388516\"](\"https:\/\/cdn2.hubspot.net\/hubfs\/3295812\/GettyImages-887388516.jpg\")
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I cleaned out my toaster the other day. It wasn\u2019t out of boredom \u2013 in fact, I had a long list of other things I needed to do. But a rogue scrap of bread had become stuck in the inner metallic grid, which presented a fire hazard. After unplugging the toaster, turning it upside down and unleashing an avalanche of crumbs, I noticed that the outside surface was incredibly grungy. I scrubbed it until it gleamed.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n It’s amazing how much better it made me feel. Sure, there was chaos all around me, but the toaster was clean. For some reason, completing that one task improved my mood and helped me cope with the rest of my day. This was a win because most of the time, I feel like I\u2019m locked in a constant battle with my \u2018to do\u2019 list (and generally running around like a headless chicken).<\/span><\/p>\n Are you a slave to your list, too? If so, here are some of the amateur tactics I have tried (and continue to try) in an effort to keep up.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Choose a useful format.<\/strong><\/p>\n There are many ways to build a list \u2013 experiment to find one that works for you. Maybe you like to put tasks in chronological order or distinguish between what is urgent and non-urgent. I keep a \u201cmaster list\u201d of everything, but I attach an extra sticky note with the day\u2019s must-do items. When I feel overwhelmed, I\u2019ll re-write the main list using sub-categories such as home, school, work, cleaning, sports, and so on. Grouping similar tasks together results in several mini-lists, which appear less intimidating.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Be a double-crosser.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n Completing a task and crossing it off, on paper, in ink, is very gratifying for me. I don\u2019t get the same satisfaction from deleting it from a \u201cNotes\u201d list on my phone or rubbing it off a white board. Have you ever finished a task that wasn\u2019t on your list, then added it just so you could strike it off? Yep, me too.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Prioritize.<\/strong><\/p>\n You\u2019ve got to identify the tasks that absolutely have to happen right this minute, now, today. They may have financial implications, such as work or banking. They may be time-sensitive, leading up to a birthday or special event. They may be health-related, if you\u2019re supporting someone who is ill or struggling. They may affect your family\u2019s basic survival needs for food, sleep, shelter and clean clothes. I often ask myself: \u201cWhat do I need to do to get through today<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Multi-task at your own risk.<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n Multi-tasking and motherhood go hand in hand. For example, you start a load of laundry, which churns away in the background while you prepare a meal. This can be effective, unless you\u2019re like me and forget to return to the \u201cbackground\u201d task. I frequently open the lid of my washer to find abandoned clothes from an earlier multi-tasking session gone awry.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fight the distractions.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n The problem is, I have the attention span of a fruit fly. I will spontaneously start re-organizing a drawer or closet that has no relevance to what I\u2019m supposed to doing. Sometimes I have to treat myself like a kindergartner and insist that I finish one job before I\u2019m allowed to move to the next one. The real issue is this: if a thought crosses my mind (such as \u201cOh, I need to e-mail so-and-so\u201d), I\u2019m terrified that if I don\u2019t act on it right then, I\u2019ll never remember it later. Still, I know that if I give in to the distraction \u2013 even if it seems like a two-minute thing \u2013 I\u2019m going to get derailed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Meet your Kryptonite head-on.<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019ve heard motivational speakers use the expression \u201cWin the morning, win the day.\u201d In my case, it\u2019s more like \u201cWin the dishwasher, win the day.\u201d I can tell how my day has gone just by looking at the dishwasher. On productive days, the dishes get put away first thing and everything flows from there. When I\u2019m overtired or frazzled, the dishwasher remains full or partially emptied, as if to symbolize my haphazard, disorganized life. Even worse, it causes a backlog of dirty dishes on the counter, creating more mess and stress.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Involve the kids.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n If one of your list entries is \u201corganize craft supplies\u201d or \u201cclean up playroom,\u201d the kids should be in on it, too. Pull everything out and delegate tasks such as marker tester, pencil crayon sharpener or stray crayon collector. Have them decide which pieces of artwork should stay or be recycled. If all the dolls, figurines, cars and stuffed animals have become mixed together in the same toy bin, that\u2019s also a perfect sorting project for little hands.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The reality is: our \u2018to do\u2019 lists will never be done. I am not a time management all-star and never will be. In sharing my story, I\u2019m not trying to imply that your life will improve significantly if your appliances are crumb-free. I do, however, believe that we need to keep working through our lists as best we can and maintain a hopeful outlook. Otherwise, we\u2019re toast.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I cleaned out my toaster the other day. It wasn\u2019t out of boredom \u2013 in fact, I had a long list of other things I needed to do. But a rogue scrap of bread had become stuck in the inner metallic grid, which presented a fire hazard. After unplugging the toaster, turning it upside down and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-613","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-parenting"},"yoast_head":"\n