List Lady

I am a list making fool! It's the only way that I get anything done. Shawn calls my mind the "carnival"...it's just pure mayhem, and the only way to set things straight and bring some clarity to it all is by writing lists, and by writing EVERYTHING in my daily planner. Unfortunately my beautiful, purple daily planner (a gift from miss sharonie) was STOLEN on my last day in Dominical. To some, this is no big deal, but for me - it has turned my world upside down. There is no way to organize that madness in my head! I am very specific about the planner that I like. You need to see the whole week when you open a page, but there needs to be enough room for you to write what you need to. Also, I don't want to see the whole month...that's just too much. One week at a time. It needs to be the size of a novel, not so small that it fits in your pocket, and not so big that it's the size of a magazine. Another misfortune I have faced is replacing my coveted planner. Because it is now the end of March, there aren't ANY 2009 planner's left for sale. Why would there be? Who the hell buys a planner for 2009 3 months into it? SO, I have been forced to buy an inferior moleskin planner, with each page being that individual date, and it's so small that it fits into my pocket. BAH.

My mind is a complete clusterfuck.

5:30am, Costa Rica, 2 days before I come back to the States
Me, frantically making a list of things I need to do when I get home.

Planning 2009 with my fabulous purple Planner.

I am a planner. A list-makin' fool. I make a list in the morning for the rest of my day, I make a list for the week, for the month, and for the year. I believe that lists are the key to achievements and success - the only way to really reach all of your goals. Plus, I just find it very rewarding to put a line through things I have finished. Sometimes I will run an errand that wasn't on my list, but I write it down later just so I can cross it out. Victory!!

My life is madness, even when there is nothing going on - my mind is always in a state of mayhem. A few years ago I discovered the joy of a daily planner. And once I realized how much more I was getting done, I became a true-believer - - a "Planner-Pusher". A big thanks to my friend Sharon who purchased me a new, beautiful Purple Planner for Christmas -- she could feel me getting anxious, knowing that my Pink Planner was about to come to an end and I had no other to replace it.

My friend Andy Welker is the King of Goals. He achieved more in his 26 years than most have in a lifetime. Made more money, lost more money - only to make it back again, and started more businesses than all of you combined. He has sold time-shares in St.Thomas & Atlantic City, bought up real-estate all over the eastern seaboard, worked for big-time real estate companies - later, starting his own, and most recently opened a very high-end, exclusive, VIP club in the heart of Dallas - a champagne club with gorgeous chandeliers and beautiful cocktail watiresses. I believe that table service starts at $300 per bottle? He works hard, parties hard, and loves his family. Now that I've sold you "Andrew Welker" -- I'll tell you why -- because he got where he is today by making lists. By writing this down in a planner. By having goals and putting them to paper. He gave me this book a while back, and it's the book that he credits for much of his success (and that's Andy below):

So go out, get yourself a $14 planner and start making those lists. It's almost the new year, let's make this one a good one!

For you procrastinators out there:

There are many benefits to writing thoughts down on paper, especially for procrastinators. Here is why this practice is highly encouraged:

Reason #1 - Improves your health

Writing down things down unclutters the mind and helps you think clearly. Clear your mind by depositing your thoughts. Make a set of lists that contain all your incomplete tasks, however major or minor they may be. This includes:

• Projects currently active and ongoing, including the steps that need to be taken
• Dates for specific tasks and actions
• Someday/maybe list
• Items coming from outside or someone else

Don't waste your mental energy on things that can be cleared from your mind.

Doing this "mind dump" will help you focus on what you need, reduce stress, improve your health and make life a bit easier.

Reason #2 - Identifies tasks

Tackling a large task can be quite overwhelming - to the point that some of us don't even start. By writing the job down, you can break it up into many small, achievable tasks.

Create a list of everything you can think of that you have to do in order to complete the task. You can add more things along the way as you think of them.

Tick or cross off each task that you complete. This important action will not only give you a great sense of accomplishment, it will also give you a visual of what you have achieved by not procrastinating and motivate you to continue.

Reason #3 - Dreams become goals

The thoughts in your mind - your desires, ambitions, wants... are merely just dreams. If you want them to come to pass, your first step is to write them down. When a dream is written down, it becomes a goal to be accomplished.

Writing down your goals also encourages clarity, focus and direction.

Reason #4 - Helps you remember and stay focused

Trying to keep everything in your head can cause clutter, stress and forgetfulness. Writing things down prevents you from forgetting anything that needs to be done.

Having the task written down in front of you is also a good reminder for you to focus and stay on track. This may be in the form of words on paper, writing on your computer screensaver, on a program, or sticky notes.

Reason #5 - Shows you how much you have improved

A great way to see how far you've gotten or how you've changed is to look back at what you have done. By writing down your tasks, dreams, what you've done, etc, you can look back at them one day and see how much you have actually improved and what you have accomplished.

One day I came across some of my old wish lists. It was interesting to see that I had now accomplished all the things written on them.

Reason #6 - Allows you to analyse yourself

Write down your qualities, interests and goals. This is a great practice for analysing yourself and realising your skills, expertise and what you can actually do. Writing it down also confirms your qualities, as well as provides more clarity for your life and helps track your achievements to see how far you've gotten.

All of these reasons are actually great motivators, especially for procrastinators, to realise what they are capable of and can encourage them to complete tasks and accomplish their dreams.

Jane Renshaw recovered from chronic procrastination after many years of suffering. She is the author of "27 Motivation Secrets for Procrastinators". This ebook is bursting with ideas on how procrastinators can create motivation to begin and complete any task. You can get more information at (http://www.motivation-procrastination.com).

"By recording your goals and dreams on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be."
-Mark Victor Hansen