How to Dominate Your To-Do List

If you are like me (or human in any way) you have a to-do list that just keeps on going. It seems the list is doing more harm than good, eating away at your sanity and consuming your precious thoughts. Have no fear! I'm sharing some simple steps that I personally use when I want to dominate tasks and take back my life. I'm not being dramatic at all, right?

Set a timer

It is not enough to just have a list of stuff that needs to get done. Whether it's a home to-do list or blog to-do list, use a timer to help dominate the tasks. Sometimes I set the timer for 10-15 minutes and start it. I allow myself that span of time to complete one task and when the timer goes off, I reset it for a different task. Of course this doesn't work for everything like cooking and laundry but it sure helps with smaller things like tidying the living room, putting clothing away or dusting.

Turn off your phone

Okay, I really recommend this if you have a home phone and are not running errands in town.  Tell your spouse you are turning off your cellphone and then do it. Just shut that baby down. If your phone is like mine, social media and email notifications are crazy distracting. I end up stopping in the middle of a task to check what happened and then 20 minutes later I look around and wonder where I am. Seriously, if you don't need it, keep it off. Or keep it on but in a separate room. You are less likely to go running across the hall in the middle of a task to check a Facebook notification.

Accountability partner

It is nice when you can remember to do things or actually be accountable for yourself but the reality is, we fall. When we have a to-do list that needs to be done in, sometimes it helps to have a partner in crime. Someone that sees you slipping and can whip you back into shape. Or if they don't live with you and can't see what you are doing, they can call you periodically throughout the day or once a day to check in. Yes, this may get annoying but that can actually help! You may want to finish tasks just to get them off your back. Most likely though, you will choose a spouse or a good friend who is supportive and wants you to succeed at drop-kicking those tasks.

Man up.

Just do it. Suck it up, sour puss, hike up your big girl boots and go work in the mud. Many times we use our to-do list as a crutch for our laziness. We add things to feel important and have some place to put them but never actually complete them. Enough. Stop wallowing, sniffling about how much you have to do and don't just make plans or talk about it but actually DO something! Call in reinforcements if necessary. Mama's, call grandma or auntie to watch the kid for an hour or two. Overwhelmed? I completely understand! I'm not saying you shouldn't feel the way you do but I am saying that something has to give. The list will always be there. You can however make it less work.

Remember, don't let your lists control you! They serve a purpose and that is to keep you organized and focused but not obsessed. I've seen many people beat themselves while trying to complete their to-do lists. They get fiesty. They get easily irritated and annoyed. They are not fun to be around and they seem to be doing it to themselves. And have no clue how they affect those around them.

Dominate your list by making a plan and sticking to it. Be the boss of your task, don't let your tasks boss you!

What are your methods to completing your to-do list?

Do You Blog Every Day?

I've been pondering whether I should blog every day or not for about a week now. Then I came across this great post from Denyse over at Glitter, Glue and Paint. Thank you Kelly from +Live Laugh Rowe  for pinning! It really helped me with my decision. So I wanted to ask you beauties...

No. That is my answer and I'm sticking to it. No, I do not blog every day. When I revamped this space and began anew, I struggled with the desire to blog every day because I knew it wasn't coming from my heart. It was provoked by expectations. What do I mean?

It is easy to feel like you have to give and give and give everything all the time in the blog world. The problem lies with quality not quantity and that is exactly what Denyse said so perfectly!

You can write once a week, twice a week, three, four, five times...as long as what you are putting out is the best content you can muster, more power to you. But if you are just blogging because you are trying to "run with the big dogs" or blogging has become more of a chore than a passion, stop. Just stop right now. Step back. Breathe. Pray. Evaluate yourself as to why you feel the urge to write every day even without inspiration.

I still battle with this false mindset. Some days I just want to blog for fun, like the good ol' days and other days I struggle because I really don't feel like it but I've allowed my blog to be my boss. That 'ain't cool, folks. Blogging is about awesome content that is full of life, not just entertaining words or pictures.

The reason why content matters is because it matters to you! Not because you "have to" create it. It matters because in between the words, your passions are woven and your dreams are exposed. The content forms from the things you love not by a system of requirements. THAT is what will take you to the top. THAT is what will give your blog life.

Besides that, blogging is really an outlet for me. I'm just blessed people actually care {I think} about what I put here. This little place online is a creative hub for me, to put all of my thoughts/ideas/heartfelt messages on typed/scrolled pages. It just so happens some people can relate and are inspired along the way. But my goal shouldn't be to please the people. It should never be to hype up the crowd or try to run with the crowd.  As long as my blog isn't going against my beliefs and morals, everything should be golden.

I really want to know, do you blog every day? It would be awesome if we could have this discussion in the comments. It doesn't matter if you're a mommy blogger, DIY blogger, fashion/beauty blogger, booger blogger {ha}...this question has run through your mind at least once. And I'd love to know how you answer it!

4 Reasons Why You Should Write

Lately I've been thinking about how much I love writing. It has been a passion since my childhood. I would read and write all of the time, even snuggling on my favorite tree branch overlooking our yard. There is something about streaming your thoughts through your fingers onto a page that is so freeing. As a wife and a mother, I frequently use writing as a way to express my love. Handwritten notes for my man in his lunch bag and personal mommy-to-son letters for my boy when he is old enough, he can read them and see my true heart. You know. That mommy is a person with emotions not just a chore-giving droid.

If you want to write or enjoy writing already, I've come up with some reasons why you should continue. Whether it's a book, article, letter or just a sweet note to a friend, writing holds so much value. I admit. I am not very good with words in a regular conversation. I scramble my sentences, switch letters, stutter syllables {say that ten times fast!}

When I write, though, I become someone I actually like. I'm more myself, dipping into the depths of my mind and heart and bringing forth something flourishing that can do great things. So if you are thinking about starting a blog, writing more on your blog, dreaming about a book or just wanting to send someone a thank you note, here are four reasons why you should write:

Be a Voice.

If you've got something to say, then say it. Keeping things bottled up helps no one, especially not you. It is actually unhealthy. If you don't have a writing project to let loose on, try starting a journal. Nothing specific, just a place to write down your thoughts and ideas. You'd be amazed how much you have to say and you might even learn something about yourself. Being a voice means turning your inside energy into an outside power source. Go ahead, plug in and write something. 

Make a Difference.

When I started writing this blog, I wanted to inspire others who lived with fear and encourage people to follow their dreams. I never thought how much it made a difference until I started seeing positive feedback from readers. It feels good to write something that touches a heart and creates waves that might bring about profound change. I don't see myself as anything special; just a dork with a computer. But through writing and sharing, lives connect and good things can happen.

Find Peace.

In the past, days have gone by without me even touching a pen let alone open my laptop to write. Those days were usually sad. I always felt like something was missing, even if that day was filled with great things. I am not complaining about my life; I am truly blessed beyond measure!! I'm saying that those days I did not unleash, unload, let go. I felt like a walking bubble bursting from the seams, with thoughts and ideas pending in stagnate waters. Writing can bring peace of mind and clarity.

Leave a Legacy.

Fact: no one can tell your story but you. Writing establishes a foundation and paves the way for others to follow your story and be inspired by it. Leaving a legacy may sound intimidating but it isn't! Think about it. Do you remember the last person who wrote you a handwritten letter? How did it make you feel? Think about the last book you read. What did you learn from it? How did you feel when you walked away? It's in those moments, those nuggets at the end of the writing rainbow that makes the process worth it. The fruit of your labor. The impact you leave with your words can plant seeds and sprout roots in the hearts of writers to come.