my not-to-do list for 2009

30 December 2008 375 views 6 Comments

I picked up the January Real Simple magazine at the grocery store. I was drawn to the cover, Feel calmer now, make dinner faster, simplify your beauty routine, and the ultimate not-to-do list…

So I decided to create my own not-to-do list and encourage everyone to make one. This New Year is all about CHANGE and these are just a few things I’m doing.

I will not let myself be consumed by things I can not control.
I realize that I tend to stress about the “could be” instead of focusing on the now.

I will not dwell on those last few pounds of baby weight.
My son just turned one and to my amazement my last few pounds didn’t disappear on his birthday (sarcasm). Instead of focusing on the weight, I’m going to work on improving my overall fitness health.

I will do my best NOT to increase my carbon footprint.
I am hoping to find better ways, greener ways to do things throughout my every day life.

I am not going to freak out, stress, or cry about the economy.
This really goes under the “things I can not control”. Instead I will focus on ways to save money. I look forward to the challenge of becoming more frugal.

I will stop making to-do list that never get done.
I have the biggest habit of making impossible to accomplish to-do lists which only makes me upset and disappointed. Instead I will set realistic smaller goals that fit in a reasonable time line.

I will not obsess over how perfect and clean other peoples households appear to be.
Appearances can be deceiving. I will clean when I can, cook when I can, and will run my household the best I can.

I will not dwell on the fact that I am not a full-time work at home mom.
I have a great job that pays the bills, until I can afford to make the transition.

I will not care or worry about what others may think about me.
All I can do is be the best me.

I will not bottle up my feelings and frustrations with the hubs.
If I want something I will ask for it. If I need help I will tell him. I will not let things build up and fester.

What’s on your not-to-do-list? Leave a comment and let me know. Or better yet post your list on your blog and link it to mine. We can keep each other on track.

6 Comments »

Diane said:

Excellent list of what we should all stop doing to have a healthier and happier 2009. Let’s all freak out and stress less and live in the moment. Thanks for the reminder.

# 30 December 2008 at 1:13 pm

Jan Tallent said:

What a great idea, thanks so much! I have a much better chance of keeping to a NOT to do list than with the former TO DO ones where I then beat myself up for not getting it all done!

jantallent on twitter and one of your followers
Happy 2009 to both of us!

# 30 December 2008 at 4:39 pm

se7enjewels said:

Hi, twitter buddy!! The one “not-to-do” on my list would definitely be getting overwhelmed by my to-do list. I tend to bite off more than I can chew and then get frustrated. What I am doing now is teaching myself some to-do list discipline going into 2009. First day I put one most important item on my list. If I achieve that, the next day I put two most important items and it will increase until per day as long as i achieve what is on my to do list. If I fail one day, on the next day I decrease my to do list for that day by one. In other words, my reward for completion of tasks is one more added task for the next day. My punishment would be to remove one for the next day. Give it a try. It makes you focus on what matters most in your life. But admittedly, a bit restrictive early on.

# 30 December 2008 at 8:45 pm

Wusthof said:

Those are some great resolutions for the upcoming year. There are two which specifically I’m gonna try and change this year as well,

I will stop making to-do list that never get done.

and decreasing my carbon footprint

I’m so bad at making these extravagent and impossible to do lists that end up really frustrating me than helping me accomplish anything. I need to tone it down and get realistic with my to do lists!

# 30 December 2008 at 9:57 pm

Janine said:

Excellent list! I don’t have any new year’s resolutions, but now you’ve inspired me to write my own not-to-do list.

# 2 January 2009 at 9:07 am

Rhonda said:

What a great idea to make a list of things you will not do (seems everyone makes a list of things they plan to do in the New Year). I would have to agree with several of the things you mentioned too….I need to stop being consumed by things I can’t control, stop fretting about the economy and stop making lists!

# 5 January 2009 at 10:16 pm