Make Lists So You Can Be Productive

After reading my previous article you might be wondering, “How am I to find the time to do all this self improvement and find any time for myself?”

Everybody is so busy today. We have our jobs, responsibilities around the house. If you have kids there are sports, and school functions, there’s also church and community groups that can fill up our schedule.

Plus today we are so wired, literally, with social media, internet, and television that our days seem to go by so quickly that before we know it another week has gone by and we feel like nothing has been accomplished.

Make a plan of action

If you want to make improvements in your life you need to make a plan of action. One of the local radio stations I listen to runs a commercial all the time with a quote by Benjamin Franklin who said, “He who fails to plan, plans to fail.”

You can not succeed with anything without a plan.

When a builder builds a house, he doesn’t just go out and throw some wood together and call it a house. If he did it would probably fall apart in a week no matter how good the builder is.

A builder has a carefully prepared set of blueprints which guides the builder to construct the house in such a way that it is strong and stable.

The same is true when building your life to make yourself better. You need long range goals, short range goals and a daily goals that will get you to where you want to be. To do that you need to master the art of making lists.

Long-range goals

Long-range goals are your end result that you want to see. They need to be realistic, but this is also where you should dream as big as possible.

Though I was overweight most of my life, I did dream about being fit. As a young man, I read Muscle and Fitness magazine from cover to cover. I had gained a lot of knowledge, but never applied that knowledge.

You can’t just know what you want, you need to do what it takes to reach your goal, that is the difference between dreaming a dream and reaching your dream, and that takes a plan.

In James 1:22 in the Bible it says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” This speaks about being actively engaged in doing what the Bible says and not just knowing what it says. The same principle applies in every facet of your life, even your physical health.

It is sad to see health care workers who are very obese. You would think they would know better how to take care of themselves, but they are prime examples of being knowledgeable but not doing anything with that knowledge.

For myself, I set a big goal many years ago. After going through a lot of bodybuilding magazines, I had decided that my ideal physic was that of Steve Reeves who played Hercules in the 50’s. He had a pre-steroid physic that seemed attainable.

Though I had a long-term goal, I didn’t have mid-range goals and though I tried to set daily goals I was never consistent enough for it to matter. What happened was I would exercise for a while something would interrupt me and then I was back my old bad habits in a couple weeks.

Mid-range goals

Though I knew I needed to lose 100 pounds, that goal was too big to stay on course. What was easier was to set goals of 15 pounds. I would just focus on reaching 15 pounds.

Once I reached that goal I set the goal for the next 15 pounds.

Each time I reached my 15 pound goal it would give me the boost I need for the next step.

What I realized was if I can reach this goal, then I know I can reach the next. Each mid-range goal I reach meant I was one step closer to my long-range goal.

Daily goals

This is the tricky part. It has taken me many years to get somewhat consistent with this. What I had to learn was, I didn’t have to do all my goals every day, but what I did get done was better than if I never set any goals at all.

I now use an app on my phone which I can click something off my list when done and on again in the morning for the goals of a new day.

Doing it this way makes it easier than writing the same list every day or printing out a list I’ve typed on the computer and wasting paper like I use to before apps.

I actually have several lists that I follow now. Besides daily lists I have a weekly list to accomplish, monthly goals, a project list as well as a honey do list (if you are married you know what that is).

As far as daily lists I have the following. I have a morning hygiene list. To truly be as hygienic as possible there are a lot more to do that you may realize and if you are half awake you might forget. Of course now I have the list memorized the list in my mind after doing it so long that that is not an issue anymore.

I also have a daily chore list. My wife and I have divided up what we do in the home, having a list helps me to remember what needs to be done.

Then there is the things that need to be done prior to bed. I have a list for that also.

The most important daily list is my personal daily list. These are the things to help me improve myself. On this list I have Bible reading and prayer, translate a couple verses from the Hebrew and Greek Bible, Study Tagalog, my wife’s language, read some of a book (historical, literature, or Theology), work on my blog, and of course exercise.

Your personal list will look different, because it is based on what you find enriching to your spirit, soul and body. The point is work on a list to improve your life.

Just because you have a list doesn’t mean you will get it all done. Sometimes it takes some adjusting to get the list to a manageable size. Sometimes life gets in the way and there is just no time to get to your personal list because of something that needs to be dealt with came up.

There are also those days where you have to throw the list out and take a day off. It is important is to realize that lists are tools to use to help you. They are not obligations that you have to follow to the letter every day. Enjoy your life and at the same time learn to be productive.

If this has been helpful send me a message and let me know. I would be interested in hearing from you.

Have a wonderful and blessed day.