July 13. The Benefits of Creating Mini Honey-Do Lists

The Honey Do List

While I was buying tires for my car recently, I noticed the guy behind the counter had that weary, tired, "I'm ready for the weekend" look. Except it was Tuesday. He grumbled something about the Honey Do list his girlfriend had left for him that morning. Wednesday, his only day off, he was expected to do everything on the list, which he added, was very long. It filled him with dread knowing he'd have little time for any fun.

How many of us create long honey-do lists, either for someone else or ourselves? It feels good to get it on paper, but it quickly gets unmanageable, due to its length. This creates stress and a sense of urgency.  

My lists tended to be ridiculously long (I only write these lists for myself) and not what I could actually achieve in one day. Very frustrating. I tweaked my list making into something more doable and discovered The 3 Big Benefits of Making Mini Honey-Do Lists:

1. Reduction of stress
2. Recognition and appreciation of all I do 
3. Clarity, due to focusing on fewer things

The process I used:

• Create the long list of what you want/need to do, including everything your brain spits out
• Set that list aside. Breathe a sigh of relief.
• Choose 1-4 things that must be done today. Put these items on a short list.
• Attend to the short list.
• Create another list- the "I Have Done this Today" list and add what you've finished today. It is easy to overlook all that we have done and focus on things not yet completed.
• Anything not done can be added to the next day.

Free yourself from the need to overdo and acknowledge all you have done.