Daily to do lists

Wow, what a crazy time we are living?! Lockdown is in full force in England, we are only allowed out of our houses if it’s essential. Everyone’s hands are red raw from washing them, Instagram workouts are in full force, and banana breads are popping up left, right and centre. 

At the beginning of lockdown I lost my job. I massively freaked out and found myself ugly crying in my room with the thought of ‘what the F am I meant to do now’. I spent a few weeks eating every snack in the house, twiddling my thumbs and having no sense of achievement or motivation. 

Then I slapped myself around the face one day, quite literally and made myself a list. Now this list wasn’t just a to do list, it’s was more of a small achievement list. It started with ‘make the bed’ a task that somewhat deemed difficult for the wallowing mess that I was. Next on the list was ‘make breakfast’, something that didn’t consist a thick layer of salted Lurpack butter, on a brick-sized piece of bread. Followed by ‘tidy room’ which had become a reflection of my thoughts and emotions. You know what they say tidy house, tidy mind. 

I created this list using the notes bit on my iPhone so that when I had completed a task, I could turn that sad little blank circle into a beautiful little tick. There is something so satisfying about ticking things off a list, a small sense of achievement. 

Throughout lockdown I’ve been creating these lists for many reasons; a reason to get up and out of bed, to give myself goals and achievements, create new and exciting things to do and to structure my day. I have then been sending this list onto my friends, then in return I see their list of simple tasks and daily activities. Not only does it spark conversation and keep you in the social loop, but it also makes yourself accountable to achieve a full row of ticks on that list. 

I try not to put pressure on myself to tick everything off, as well as not placing judgment on myself if I’ve only managed one tick because these times are hard enough as it is and this little list is just a boost of motivation not competition with myself.

TOP TIPS

1. Write your list out 

Grab a pen and paper, open up notes on your phone, stick a list on the fridge. Don’t just say it, create a physical list so you can see your day and you can feel that amazing feeling when you tick something off it.

2. Big and small tasks

Having big tasks on your list is great, but some days it can be daunting and feel unachievable. Stick a couple smaller tasks on there like, make bed, wash hair, make a badass salad. If those are the only things you can do in that day then ticking them off the list will give you that boost you might need to achieve slightly bigger tasks the next day. 

3. Send your list to your friends

Start a list sharing party! Every morning type out your to do list to your friends and get them to send one back. Then at the end of the day copy your list and tick off the things you did. I’ve found that doing this makes me accountable, it gives me the motivation to complete the list, it makes me want to tick things off. I get encouragement from my friends to achieve the things I’ve jotted down and I feel good being their cheerleaders too.

4. Do not put pressure on yourself

If getting out of bed is the only thing you want on there or the only thing you tick off, then that’s absolutely fine. Here’s what you do, you write a list for tomorrow and you see how you feel in the morning. The list is only there to be your little sidekick, it’s not there to judge you. It’s a helpful tool that I create for myself every day and when I don’t create a list for the day, I actually miss it! Try it out and if it doesn’t work for you then that’s fine, it’s not for everyone. 

5. Be creative

On the odd day whack something crazy on there. Something out of your comfort zone. Maybe something you’ve always wanted to try but you never had the time. Trying out new things is super stimulating and encourages you to explore things you wouldn’t usually do. Think outside the box!

Making lists is a new thing for me, but I can honestly say it’s one of my favourite things to do whilst we’ve been on lockdown. It’s something I intend to carry on once this whole thing is over. It helps me clear my head, it’s gives me a sense of achievement and stops me from going insane within these four walls.

I would love to see your lists and what simple or crazy tasks you’ve been up too! 

Forever wandering,

Danielle.