I've been very busy this week dealing with lots of appointments and other things. I currently have 3 to do lists: one for me, one for my 5 year old son and one for our home. My Personal To Do List, like the other 2, is broken down into 4 categories: Urgent, Critical, Soon and Whenever.

10 things marked as urgent on my personal list were taken care of Monday, and the remaining were done today (so I'm beat). Of the 14 things marked Critical on my list (among these dealing with: 2 attorneys, 2 specialists, the IRS, the managing agent for my building and the co-op board), 7 were taken care of Tuesday.

The 7 things that remain as Critical on my Personal list will be handled with the Critical items on my Home list (like picking up the laundry and dry cleaning, buying groceries and stopping off at the drug store for the items on my Drug Store List) more than likely tomorrow. I feel lucky that I live in NYC where everything is right next to each other and the farthest I have to walk is 10 blocks to my bank. I have no idea how people that live in the suburbs of Madison or in Oshkosh, Wisconsin manage to do everything and still spend quality time with their families?

If you were to see my agenda book, I think you would be amazed to see all my lists. I have a list for: movies I want to see, dvd's I want to rent, places in NYC I want to visit with my son, music I want to buy, books I want to buy and clothing I need to buy. I also have a list of things I need to discuss when I next speak to my friend Susan, so I don't forget and then have to call her back. In my agenda book there's also my son's lists of some of the same things.

Working with lists has taught my son how to defer impulse buying. These lists have helped him not become a brat and not make scenes when he's in a store. If he sees something he likes and wants, he asks me to pull out my agenda so he can add something to his Birthday or Christmas Gift List and he writes it in there himself. People's mouths drop when they see this in action at the checkout line at ToysRus. I never have to say no, which is what invariably sends demanding and self-centered kids over the edge.

It's also the reason I recently had to change from a weekly calendar to a daily. My son's lists are beginning to get as long as mine. Plus, being a single mom of a kindergardener I just have so much more to do. Since I no longer use my PDA (at the urging of my doctor), I rely heavily on my agenda to organize my life. The one feature that I desperately miss on my PDA? The alarm feature for appointments, so I can stay on schedule.

On the cover of the leather binder of my agenda, there's a picture of a beautiful women who is nicely coiffed and impecably dressed (circa 1950's). In the picture she is smiling wide as if without a care in the world (much like Beaver Cleaver's mom). The writing next to her says: "I love my life, but it's sure not easy being me!" You got that right sister! Well, that about sums up my life since mid-January

Posted by: Michele at 07:40 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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