Empty Nest Moms
Our "Senior" Empty Nesters! => Our "Later Years"...What we've learned as we've aged => Topic started by: Melee on March 14, 2018, 10:44:07 AM
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Something that's really interesting to me is how many times I will still accidentally make the same mistakes that I learned not to make many years ago. Things like doing my taxes. Every year I tell myself that I'm not going to wait until the last minute to do them, and yet I seem to forget that lesson every year.
Same thing with renewing my car registration... or buying Christmas presents. Every year I tell myself that I'm going to get my shopping done early, but the next thing you know it's December 22nd, and I haven't bought any presents.
One of the very best things about getting older is the wisdom and knowledge you glean from life, but I've learned that I still struggle with certain behaviors, no matter how much I know better.
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We all do that Melee. It's a vicious cycle. I have found that if I write down what I need to do in my calendar it stands a better chance of getting done. Thing like "inspect car" this month or "buy 2 Christmas gifts for family" this month. It feels good to be able to cross these things off my list and say done. :13:
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"We all do that Melee. It's a vicious cycle. I have found that if I write down what I need to do in my calendar it stands a better chance of getting done. Thing like "inspect car" this month or "buy 2 Christmas gifts for family" this month. It feels good to be able to cross these things off my list and say done. :13: "
Since you say, "We all do that", I feel a little bit better.
You know the old saying that misery loves company. Lol :039:
I feel like I know that other people have to make mental or physical notes as continual reminders for them to do certain things, but I also feel like I come across a lot of people who always say, "I made that mistake once, but I didn't make it again."
Or, "All it took for me was one time to (insert mistake here) and I learned my lesson."
Kidless, I totally agree with you about things having a better chance of getting done if they are written down. I find writing things down is an invaluable tool when it comes to my perpetual to-do list. My challenge has always been consolidating all of my to-do lists into one large planner. Whenever I think about something that I want or need to do, I'll write it down right then in one of the many notebooks/small planners that I have placed around my home. My to-do lists are too spread out.
What I really need to do is designate one place in my home where a large planner can be kept, then discipline myself so that whenever there is something that needs to be written down as a to-do, I have to come to that large planner at that one location and write things down.
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My to-do list is my savior. However, it's not a perfect savior because I still forget to put important things on the list! I've never been great at remembering things without getting some kind of physical reminder. Email reminders? I'll forget them in two seconds (if I even see them in the first place). If I get it in the actual mail, then I remember it, no problem. I've learned that I need to put things down in a tangible form, as soon as I think of them, or they'll slip right past me.
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My to-do list is my savior. However, it's not a perfect savior because I still forget to put important things on the list! I've never been great at remembering things without getting some kind of physical reminder. Email reminders? I'll forget them in two seconds (if I even see them in the first place). If I get it in the actual mail, then I remember it, no problem. I've learned that I need to put things down in a tangible form, as soon as I think of them, or they'll slip right past me.
It's great that you know that you need to put things down in tangible form, because knowing what works for you is key. Like you, I have to have things in tangible form or I'll forget them.
Part of my issue is that I have several different areas where I put said tangible forms. I have a nice little nook that I have crowned my office space. I need to use it for that purpose as opposed to what it's being used for now which is holding a multitude of art supplies.
I think to-do lists are fabulous, I really like writing things down and then striving to get them done. The only thing is, most days I get way too caught up in the process of writing. I can spend hours makings lists, and highlighting.
And oh my gosh, I'm the same with e-mail reminders! I have so many of them it's not even funny. I think the trap for me is that having e-mail reminders tricks my mind into thinking that I'm being productive because I have all these digital reminders in place.
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We all do that Melee. It's a vicious cycle. I have found that if I write down what I need to do in my calendar it stands a better chance of getting done. Thing like "inspect car" this month or "buy 2 Christmas gifts for family" this month. It feels good to be able to cross these things off my list and say done. :13:
I like the idea of noting down what's to be done and sticking to it. I think this would work for me because I suck at trying to remember things. Procrastination never helps and this is my worst habit. Since the mind is always active, having a to-list will help the brain to work better, or so I think.
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We all do that Melee. It's a vicious cycle. I have found that if I write down what I need to do in my calendar it stands a better chance of getting done. Thing like "inspect car" this month or "buy 2 Christmas gifts for family" this month. It feels good to be able to cross these things off my list and say done. :13:
I like the idea of noting down what's to be done and sticking to it. I think this would work for me because I suck at trying to remember things. Procrastination never helps and this is my worst habit. Since the mind is always active, having a to-list will help the brain to work better, or so I think.
I agree with you, noting what is required to be done and sticking to it sounds great. I love writing things down, and don't even get me started with how thrilled I get decorating my lists with stickers and pens with different colors of ink, but... after I write things down all I want to do is write some more instead of going about the business of doing the things on my decorated to do list. Don't get me wrong, I do get things done, but the writing part is the most fun by far.
I think it's okay not to be to great at remembering certain things. I read in a book (or an article) about getting organized that one should write things down because, "Don't use your mind as a file cabinet."
I also read in another book that writing things down frees your mind. You no longer have to think about what it is you are supposed to remember. You write it down somewhere convenient and then refer to it.
Procrastination, ugh! That is one of my worst habits too! What is it about procrastination that seems so appealing? :dunno: