To Do List Totalitarianism

Confession:  My to do list has been running my life.

It's not that I am feeling overly stressed, per se.  It's just that I seem to be checking my to do list more often than my email and that is saying something.

I have a "sticky note" app on my phone.  It has a widget function that sits on the main profile and stares at me when I wake the screen.  Every time I think of something that needs to be done, or a reminder for myself, it is all too easy to quickly add it to the list.

I don't think I am coming up with more things lately, I just think I am remembering them.  Before now, the fleeting thought that came to mind while processing reports at work would have been gone by the end of the work day.  Now I simply just notate it on my phone the second it pops up and I will forever be reminded of it .. until I check it off.

I would be completely lying if I said I didn't like it just a little bit.  Afterall, if I truly hated it then I could just delete the app.  This is totally self-inflicted.   

It's kind of a joke in my house but I am terrible at memory recall with certain things.  I can remember numbers from things years ago but I can not remember names of people I met five minutes ago.  In mid-conversation I will blank on someone's name that I have known for YEARS and have a close relationship with.  People just laugh at me because they know it's not for a lack of familiarity .. just my brain doesn't work.  All this to say, if I don't write things down, like the grocery list, I will be in the middle of the store .. remember there was 4 things I had to get ... only have 3 in the basket .. and stand there looking baffled until I remember what the fourth thing is.  It's kind of frustrating.  So in all actuality .. I love the app.

This brings me to the holiday season.  Up until now I usually keep a running list of three or so items.  Right now I have nine and this morning it was 16 (!).  I have just felt so incredibly rushed for some reason to get things done .. NOW.  Mark and I have managed to already complete our Christmas shopping (minus 2 gifts we have to pick up in town).  We ordered most of it online because it seems everyone is running a 'free shipping' promo right now.  (If I don't have to pay for shipping then, by all means, I will avoid the store.)   

Now I tend to be organized but getting Christmas shopping done before Thanksgiving is a little much .. even for me.  Like I just said .. I have felt under pressure.  There seems to be a million things to do and not enough time to do it.  Mark and I are leaving town for the holiday but not until tomorrow.  I took today off just to get some things done.  I was up at 7:00am this morning tackling "the list".

Hopefully my early start this year will mean that the to do list will dwindle early as well.  I am not thinking it will.  If I know me, things will come along to replace them.  I won't let it bog me down though.  If something doesn't get done, well, it doesn't get done.  My relationships and down time mean too much to me to completely lose my cool .... but if I could just get my carpets cleaned, call the insurance company about that one thing and get that craft project done .... that would be all the better. <sigh> Happy Holidays!

Do you keep a to do list?  Is yours taking over your life or are you stress-free?  Have you started Christmas shopping yet?