To Do list Brain

So, I'm assuming that everyone has read about the guy with the "beautiful mind" and about those people that can remember dates, events, and names from everyday that they've ever been alive.

Sorry to disappoint, but you already know this fact - I am not one of those people. I will admit to knowing only about three phone numbers, but since my phone holds about 200 I will keep praying that it doesn't falter.

I am plagued with my own special brain. I have "to do" list brain. Everything that happens to me every minute of the day goes through my sensors (ears/eyes) and somehow translates into a possible "to do" for my list. Whether it is amazing idea or website address that I need to add to my idea list or delicious account or a memory of a past experience to post to my blog or someone that I should write a thank you note to or an idea of another business to create or even to remember to think of others in kinder ways....it somehow always translates into another "to do."

Over the years I have translated this list into notebooks used at work, little artsy books that I carry in my purse, web widgets on iGoogle and Google Notepad, official Franklin Planners with special inserts that never quite fit my life, electronic Outlook lists on the work computer, Ta Da lists (website), or a cheap notebook...all used in an attempt to manage this onslaught of "to dos" racing through my head.

For now, I have come across a solution that has worked for about two months. That typically means it is a habit, correct? It's Excel. Yep, the excel spreadsheet. At first it was one scrolling list with correctly labeled columns - Tasks, Type (personal, work, research, financial, blog, exercise, etc.), Notes, date completed. But, that got a little unwieldy.

Now I'm up to about 5-6 separate worksheets so that I can manage things in small chunks. The last tab is "completed items" and I just copy/paste the "to dos" to that worksheet when I'm done.

Sound time consuming? No, it actually saves me from constantly copying over old to do lists by hand. Since I'm in front of a computer about 12 hours a day that is the best way for now.

Whew. Why do I care? I enjoy documenting life. Seeing the patterns. Analyzing what I spend my time doing (another blog entry to come). Finding ways to make some things more efficient so I free myself up for stuff that is more meaningful to me.

Alas, writing this down makes me realize that this is kind of a nerdy thing to do, but it will be done nonetheless. Anything to get these things out of my mind and on to paper/electrons will help this mind get freed up a little.

So, time to cross off the entry - "Blog - to do lists" - completed 2/13/2009

Blogging Items

I may be the only person that does this, but I've taken to writing down items at work that I want to blog about. Now, there are a couple of reasons for doing this.

1.) I don't have access to my blog at work. I could email my own blog and have it post, but so far I haven't done so.

2.) There is no time to write at work and plus - that's why I'm paid the big bucks, right? To work?

3.) The action of writing down the topics to write about is therapeutic. It allows me to get down the item that is bothering/enlightening me on to paper. I then feel empowered to move my thoughts on to whatever should be my focus. So, it's almost as good as the time spent creating the entry later. I've often taken this approach with my journal writing as well. That way I have all the key events listed out for when I finally sit down and focus on writing.

Anyway, it may seem weird, but since it is simple and it works, I will keep using it.