Wrote blog post. Check.

I think that one of the reasons I don’t get things done is that I focus too much on the things didn’t get done.

I sit and stew and go “Crap. I didn’t do that thing I was gonna do. I suck.” And this just leads to being so depressed about not accomplishing anything that I don’t have any engergy left to get off my ass and do it. Plus, when I don’t do something I planned on doing, I stew about it instead of doing something else.

Well, my wife’s best friend presented her with a solution that is devilishly simple. Instead of making a list and checking things off after you do them, make your list after you do them.

Don’t say “I’m going to clean the kitchen, mow the lawn, pay the bills, make dinner, write an essay, help a little old lady across the street…” then whine about only getting to one or two of those things. Wait until you get around to cleaning the kitchen and say “Cleaned kitchen. Check.”

I’m sure this is not news to anyone. There’s probably a bazillion books and seminars on looking back on your accomplishments instead of forward to your goals (though just writing that sounded backwards to me). It is definitely a flip-flop of the way my ultra list making self usually does it, and it’s kinda fun.