To Dos and Doing

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Right now, I have over 50 messages in my email box. I probably have 20 of them flagged as follow ups. I’ve been procrastinating for months about making a couple of doctors appointments and I have at least half a dozen things on my to do list that I could easily knock out in a minute or two.

So why don’t they get done? I can claim busy all I want, but the truth is I can work most of those things into my days. Even if I allow myself veg out time in front of the TV, I could always use the commercials to get things done.

So why aren’t they getting done? And can you relate to this at all?

Let’s see….

I don’t make the doctors appointments cause I hate going there.

I suspect a lot of things don’t get done because they do only take a minute or two. I know that doesn’t make sense, but it seems common with we ADDers. My husband Mark will work long and hard on a project and abandon it just before it’s complete. Those little things that just take a minute often wait undone.

Here’s another idea: none of the things that I have on my to do list or in my email box have a deadline. I think that’s a big one.

Think about it: when you move from one house to another, you make sure everything is packed and ready to go by moving day. Because you have a deadline. But what about when you get to your new house?

Sure, some things get unpacked right away. They may not have a deadline, but sooner rather than later you’re going to need things like pots and pans and towels. I’m pretty sure the last time we moved, we had boxes we had never unpacked from the previous move.

So how do you deal with those things that need to be done but don’t get done?

You can give them a deadline, but when you’re the one giving yourself a deadline, it’s too easy to ignore it.

You can try the buddy system to keep you and a friend on track. I don’t know about you, but every buddy I’ve ever tried that with was as easy to talk out of things as I was.

I think that the key to productivity for us is that we need to approach it in a new way. Lists and schedules and prioritizing tasks are all left brained, linear ideas. We are right brained and non-linear.

I don’t have an answer yet, but I’m working on it. And yes, it will get done.

Want to know why?

The answer is actually a clue to the solution: it will get done because it appeals to the creative side of me and because I’m looking for a unique solution to a common problem.

I’d love to hear how you get things done.

Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle is the writer of Lacyestelle.com and the Podcast host for An ADD Woman.

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One Response

  1. Thanks for the blog! I am feeling the same way as you and not getting “things” done because of no deadline. Heck, I am even having a hard time with things that have a deadline. 🙂 Thanks for being so honest…

    When I am on a mission to get things done I have to continually talk and redirect myself during the process of completing the task at hand. If I don’t, even with medication, I get side-tracked and begin a mini-project within the big one I’m trying to complete. The mini one could be related or unrelated to the big one.