Hello 2011

New Years Eve

With it being New Year’s Eve, most of you are contemplating what your New Year’s resolutions should be. Weight loss was so last year and giving up that bad habit was attempted two years ago, which brings me to my topic for today—to do lists. The term “resolution” is basically a fancy way to say “to do list,” which most people make, but do they stick to them?

When I make a to-do list, I feel very accomplished and setting high goals for myself. There is something appealing about crossing something off a list. And it works for about a day. Then other things get in the way like your mom wanting to go shopping for just a few hours and it turns into all day or talking on the phone with a friend or, my biggest weakness this week, a My Fair Wedding with David Tuterra marathon on WE.

I thought I could beat the cycle by writing my to-do list by putting it on pretty pink paper; bright pink, so it cannot be ignored. Then, just to make sure it cannot go unnoticed, I put it on the only piece of white wall in my room. Bright pink on white should be as shocking as caution tape.

The next thing I did after making my to-do list and hanging it up was work my butt off that day to cross three things off the list. Yep, only three things out of about twenty five. So, after that little exercise, the to-do list, though still hanging in the bright spot, is put away.

Then, over the next week when I am trying to forget about the to-do list, things get added to it. Slowly but surely, those three things that were crossed off basically mean nothing because there are six new items on the to-do list. The to-do list starts to grow and grow and so, you cross off things that aren’t so important and can be saved for another day.

The final kiss of death for the to-do list is when you start doing extra projects, just not to do the things on the to-do list. I usually start baking enough cupcakes or cookies for a small army or my two brothers and their friends. Finally, the to-do list goes in the garbage, never to be attempted again. Well, until the next week when making a to-do list seems like a good idea.
   
Here is some advice for 2011…make resolutions and to-do lists short, sweet and to the point. I know, it sounds cliché, but setting a plethora of unachievable goals is unrealistic. Make one or two goals and stick to them. And have a Happy New Year’s.