To-Do or Not To-Do, That Is My Current Question

It is four days before the start of my Winter Break. I will be home for two days before leaving my home for my childhood home, so my to-do list is starting to look very interesting (to me, at least).

At work, my to-do list is pretty much the same as always. Strategize for sessions, complete documentation (at time of service rather than, ahem, slacking off!), organize materials for January's session strategies, and help clients navigate the excitement and anger associated with this holiday season. I have to be as consistent as possible to help clients navigate this time of year.

At home, my to-do list is a bit more varied. Will presents fit in the luggage? Check. Clean out fridge. Finish the laundry (including PUTTING IT IN THE CLOSET!). Check. Wash the dishes. Throw junk out of the house. Figure out blog topics for various projects. Take care of the cat. Rehearse the guitar part for Christmas Eve service. Eat Christmas cookies. (That one's NEVER a problem to get done...) Avoid spoilers for the movie that I don't get to see until I'm at home. The list goes on and on.

It is time to prioritize.

There will be things that must be done. There will be things that I should do, but my existence will not change if I don't do those things. There will be things that are completely based on dreams. Any way it happens, my to-do list is something that I will use to organize myself and my contributions to my corner of the world.

I believe that I will also start a not to-do list.

How do I do this? This is a mindful practice for me. Everything on the not to-do list is paired with a positive thought to help me maintain my equilibrium.

I will not dwell on music therapy failures this week. I will focus on the positive interactions that will occur.  

I will not worry about getting something made for the snack day. If I get something done, wonderful, but it does not matter if I participate or not.

I will not worry about how much I am sleeping. I will sleep when I feel tired because my body is tied to the light and is better off when I follow the patterns my body dictates. The winter solstice is this week, so it makes sense that I am trying to sleep more and more. This will change as the pattern of light changes.

I will not push myself too hard. I will pay attention to my energy level and do proactive things to maintain a healthy interaction level.

I will not go into stores during prime shopping hours from now until after the holidays. I have more than enough here for anything that I feel should be added to my present list for this year.

There's the start of my not to-do list. I think I'll start putting these two lists together on the same piece of paper. Ooh! I could make this into a bookmark in my bullet journal/session strategizer to remind me every time I use that book. A bit of laminating and a pass through the binding machine and that will be a done deal! I'll be able to use a wet-erase marker to write down what to do and what not to do, and I'll be able to wash off the ideas when I am ready to refresh them. That will be a good, symbolic way to purge both of the lists when it is time.

If you are interested in more about a never do list, check out this blog post. Thanks to JJ and her blog for this way of thinking.

Happy Monday.