cross it off the list

this has absolutely nothing to do with writing, and yet it does. i used to dread sundays. it was a "school-night" technically--as in i had school the next day. it was the day i had to get everything done that i had put off on friday and saturday in order to have a typical, fun weekend. and even when i was out of high school and college it was still the day before i went back to work or had to travel somewhere for a press thingy (don't mind my terminology...it's actually sunday today and my brain is elsewhere.)

and if you procrastinate until sunday, the last day of your weekend sucks...which means you start off your week with stress, which carries into monday, tuesday, and by wednesday you don't think you have it in you to finish out the last two days...only to do it all over again. vicious cycle i tell you.  vicious.

so. i came up with my new organized lifestyle. it started as a weekend lifestyle but quickly became an all-week thing. i'm about to blow your mind by the way:

do a little every day so that by the weekend (or whichever day you hate the most) you don't have much left to do. don't hold off, put off, or pretend you don't have something when you clearly do. you become someone else when you get stressed. so make a weekly list of what you have to do for EACH day. you can technically write it in your calendar, but it can get difficult to see what your appointments/homework assignments/etc. are on that day if  your list is on there too. plus, your list can sit on your desk at home waiting to be crossed off when you finish :) 

                                        here's what i use:

i give myself a few aspects of the massive-scary task to do each day so that i can actually cross something off my list and feel like i got something done. i used to just write the name of the entire task every day, and it started to frustrate me because it looked like all my hours had gone to waste, and i had nothing to show for it.  i know some of you are thinking i'm crazy... but some of you are totally understanding this.
to recap-

TWO THINGS TO DO DURING YOUR WEEK

1. on sundays, write down your list of things to do for the week, itemized and fully executable. remember to write things that are actually feasible to get done or you will never be able to cross them off. (i am an over-achiever, so i used to put more than i could do to stretch myself, but i ended up making myself feel even worse when i realized i wasn't wonderwoman after all.)
2. actually do the little tasks on your list. don't put them off or you won't get the peaceful sunday. it might seem like you're wasting time on small things when you are "not in the mood--i'll do it all later--all at once", but trust me, you've tried that before and to no avail.
try it for one week. just see. and get back to me. :)
have a great one. i'm going to go write my second novel now.

ashlyne huff revelette