Can you ever be completely “caught up”?
I hate that I can never be completely “caught up.” Whether it’s with a work or personal to do list, it seems there’s always something left on it at the end of the day to make me feel uneasy for not getting it done.
And I’ve gotten so much better at prioritizing what I do need to get done (at least at work)! So I cross those things off first. But there’s always something left.
And I feel like I am always behind on personal emails and reading blogs – things I like to do, but don’t have time for everyday.
Now that I think about it, the things that make me feel most uneasy about not getting done are the visible things. You know, responding to emails, reviewing documents for a coworker, and so on… things other people know I am doing. I give those items priority, because I don’t want people to think I am ignoring them, or that they are not important.
Sometimes I think I just need to throw the whole to do list concept out the window and do what I please. But then I would probably feel even more scattered.
Do you use a to do list? Do you feel like you are never “caught up”? Or are you miraculously able to let things slide when you don’t get them done immediately?
Themocracy
I am a To-Do list queen! Seriously… I make one almost every day, plus I own one of those to-do list notepads 😛
I make to-do lists for my super busy days when I feel like I really need to stay on task. But, like you, I have those feelings of just never really feeling “caught up,” largely because of things I LIKE to do– there’s always another blog to be commented on, etc.
“Caught up”? You are a member of the modern working world, right? There’s no such thing as “caught up.” 😉
I know. I hate that about our society!
I use to do lists. They’re so helpful when it comes to getting organized; however, they do sometimes lead to more stress! Being able to see the super long list of things I need to do can stress me out even more! I just submitted my college stuff Monday, but now I have a ton of accounting work to catch up on. Then I have a business test that opens up today. Plus, I have a bunch of stuff that I need to do for graduation (tests and surveys and stuff :()
It really is never going to end!
I completely understand where you are coming from. Between work, the house, blogging and commenting, time with the BF, time for myself…there’s just never enough hours in the day to accomplish all that I want. I’ll try to make lists etc but it’s so tough! I want to do the things I enjoy but sometimes it just doesn’t work out that way!
Oh, my gosh… I feel like this ALL the time. And even if there’s nothing I need to do, I feel like I’m forgetting something important. It is so annoying!!
<3 <3
i’m really terrible with to do lists. i like to make them for the week, but don’t feel really accomplished, unless i get it all done in one day. i’m sure that things get done, not to the best of their ability, but they get done, because of this trait! BUT, since i’m the girl who doesn’t worry about stuff, i just drop it and start over the next day!
I’m always making to-do lists and I get caught up in real life…but blogging is another story. I don’t think you can ever get caught up with blogging lol. I’m still trying to figure out how to manage it!
I think it is impossible to get caught up because people are always writing something new! Which is awesome… unless you were away from the computer for 2 days (like I was this week) or longer!
Ahhh this reminds of WORK. People always talk about being “caught up.” Are your vitals/blood glucose checks done on time, have you started charting, are your meds out on time, etc, etc etc. My entire shift at work is spent getting caught up…what a fun way to work! I have a little chart that I make with the times for the medications I have to give and then next to that I have a to do list for each patient…like if I need blood or if the patient needs to get out of bed. It helps me focus when things get crazy, which is often.
In life, I like to do lists because they let me see what I need to accomplish and what I have accomplished. I often make two separate lists…one for NOW and one for “could be done later.” That way I don’t feel bad if I don’t do everything.
As for blogging…sometimes I just have to “mark all as read” in my google reader…that’s how I get caught up sometimes even if I feel bad about it!
I do to do lists, when I am really overwhelmed, it helps me stay n target and focused. Sometimes I do feel caught up but then something else pops up. I cut myself some slack because I am not perfect and there are only so many hours I have to do things.
My whole life is a series of To-Do lists…that is the only way I can keep track of the million things I need to get done.
I spend more time catching up on work emails and things because obviously that has to be a priority for me. Only after that can I focus on the blog and comments, etc. I wish it were the other way around!!
I wish it could be the other way too. I hate my long commute, but feel lucky I have it so that I can read blogs and respond to emails and stuff then. I don’t understand how people do it (without a long-ass commute like me!).
my motto: “something is better than nothing.” i def get energy from checking anything off. if you can prioritize, do that. you don’t have to do everything, just something every day. it adds up 🙂
I do have a to do list… and list for my different to do lists… crazy. But I hear you on not getting caught up. This week is has been the worse. I did a ride on Saturday and Sunday which each took a big chunk out of my day and things have been crazy at work… Raymond is leaving town… got Alumni stuff that needs to be planned.. so I feel like I am bing pulled in a million directions.. If only there were 30 hrs in a day 😉
I only make to-do lists when I find myself about to waste an entire day sitting around in my PJs or when I’m feeling lost about what I should do next at work. Otherwise I just do what I want to do. I love tasks but I hate coming up with them!
Sometimes I feel like I’m too caught up. Like, shouldn’t I be doing something right now?? I think that’s where some of my anxiety comes from.
Sometimes I think my to do list is there to just mock me. As much as I accomplish, there is always more.
Oh God…I have SO many lists, and I never cross everything off of them! Stuff like a guest post I’ve been meaning to write (also, if you ever want me to write one, let me know!), reading, putting away laundry, etc. can get postponed indefinitely for all of the stuff I need to accomplish ASAP.
It can get really frustrating, but I have to keep reminding myself that there will ALWAYS be new deadlines/stuff to do and I’ll never be totally caught up. I just do my best to catch up when there’s a lull in my schedule and hope for the best! 🙂
Kara, thanks for the offer! I will definitely ask you if I decide to do some guest posts 🙂
I think reminding yourself that it is impossible to catch up is actually helpful. There will always be something!
I LOVE to do lists. However, I don’t always complete them. My life is one, long half-completed to do list! 😉 But making them keeps me calm, somehow.
I’ve kind of accepted that I’m the type of person (read: procrastinator) who will never get EVERYthing done in a short amount of time. It makes me anxious! But I do what I can and prioritize, and that seems to help.
Speaking of getting caught up… there were 15 blog posts in my feed reader for your blog that I haven’t read yet… ha ha
I do use a to-do list, but am bad at checking it often. About every other day. I am in the process of revisiting how I manage my tasks and projects. But I do keep notes on the various personal projects I work on.
For work, I keep a pen and notebook that I use to document each task I do. It works for me now, but am also looking at using a todo or task list on the computer.
Yeah… sorry about that. There have been a few double-day posts lately. I need to cut back.
I keep my work to-do list on a piece of paper too. It works best for me!
I’m not sure it’s possible to be 100% “caught up.” I don’t even know if that would be a goal of mine. There would always be something else. I do use a to-do list. I used to be somewhat compulsive about my day planner, but I’m much less that way now. I just write down some important, “can’t forget” items and leave it at that. If I forget something, it probably wasn’t that important. Most things can wait. If I don’t pay a bill right away, that’s fine; I have a couple weeks to pay it, usually. I get overwhelmed with things like catching up on blogs. My job now affords me time for that online stuff, but I know it won’t always be that way. I guess it is about prioritizing and letting go of the things that don’t really matter in the grand scheme. I do feel like weekends are too short, and sometimes I get carried away with obsessing over how much there is to do, but I haven’t felt that way lately. It ebbs and flows according to my anxiety.
Yes! I lose sleep over my to-do list and things-to-remember list! I work out of 2 clinics and so the back and forth is enough to drive me insane! And also cause me to forget a lot, which I always remember as I’m trying to fall asleep at night! I’ve started keeping a notepad next to my bed to help me, and it really does!
I keep a to-do list at work to make sure I don’t forget little things or blow deadlines. I mostly have a mental to-do list in my personal life, but I will write out a list when it starts to get overwhelming, like around the holidays or when Brian is out of town. I do let things slide sometimes and somehow the earth hasn’t stopped spinning, so I bet everything will be OK. 🙂
LOL. You are right. The earth didn’t stop spinning when I left work on Friday with a few things on my list!
I am a list maker, I love making list. They make me feel in control and organized.
… but
I rarely do anything with the list after I have made it. Except at work, I cross things off it, very satisfying, but only done because it is right there beside me. If I make a grocery list, I leave it at home or in the car or my purse. Then I go by memory … and buy stuff I don’t need and forget important must have items. This is probably why I spend $78 when I went in for salsa and toilet paper!
Am I list person?? Lets just say if I die all that anyone would find is lists! I have a list for every day pretty much about the things I need to do! I have a work list, a home list a workout list, etc etc. the list goes on lol. oh that was silly! You get the picture!
I love to do lists, shopping lists, if it’s a list I love it and love to make them.
I do the stuff I have to do and want to do, procrastinate on stuff I should do but not fun. So no, never ‘caught up’ but as long as something big doesn’t fall thru the crack, I really don’t care.
i find making my to-do lists have several TINY and easily accomplishable items helps. like instead of writing “clean my room” as one item, i’ll do like:
-put away clean clothes
-vaccuum floor
-wipe down sink
-wipe down mirror
-clean shower
so i get to cross things off my list more frequently 😉 i need lots of positive reinforcement to accomplish things, apparently..!
Ooo, I like your style!
Nope, I can’t at least. I swear I have half-finished lists all over the place. As soon as one thing gets done, or the google reader gets cleared:), there’s more to be done/read/written, etc. It can be overwhelming at times but I just try to take it one day at a time and what doesn’t get done just doesn’t get done.
the little stuffed animals are my blog cheerleaders! i smile at them when i get new comments! =D
i get REALLY stressed when i get “behind” so much so that i have major freak outs! i have to learn how to let it go.
My co-workers joke that I have to-do lists for my lists. And lists for those lists. You read my blog…you know I am Type A, otherwise known as anal! I am never caught up but I am learning to give myself a break.
Ugh I can never get everything done! I make to do lists with a million things that I can’t realistically get done. Sometimes no to do list is better than a huge unattainable to do list…
I dont ever feel like Im caught up with everything. If I get all the blog reading done that I would like to, then I dont get my dishes done. If I get everything in my pile at work finished, then I havent checked my email. Its neverending.
This was never a problem when I lived at home. Im really starting to appreciate everything my parents did for me!
no matter how much stuff i cross of my lists, i always have something to do – the piles of stuff under my bed prove that!!!
No! there is always another diaper to change, blog to read, email to field, errand to run…I have been having major soul searching lately trying to figure out what to do about it b/c it leaves me feeling scattered and bleh!
I already have a to-do list for tomorrow. Lots to do. I feel like I’m never caught up on reading blogs. Heck, I’m lucky just to post some days!
Please—I can’t even get caught up on my blog reading (thought an RSS feed would help but honestly I keep adding to it LOL)! Nope don’t think I will ever get caught up with anything 🙂 I am sure I will have a to-do list until the day I kick the bucket and will have to haunt my house to finish it!