Are you a compulsive box checker?

I AM!!

There is nothing more satisfying than being able to put a little check mark in the box, indicating the completion of a task or goal. It always makes me feel “successful”!!

My Box Check Guide:

CHECK MARK = Chore/Goal completed
“X” = Task deleted, no longer important
DOT = In progress, delegated
ARROW = Move forward to another day

This is how I manage the items on my list.  These symbols have become habit for me due to using a Franklin Covey planner for years! Every day, something must go in the box!!

Here are my lists from this week. The colors are not significant till the last photo. As my system becomes more and more refined, little changes take place along the way. I finally realized that chores should be written with purple. FLYLADY…duh (Flylady is a popular cleaning system and Flylady’s favorite color is purple)!! So on Sunday, my chores are all in purple and one in blue (because I want my son to do that one and his color is blue).

So here is how my week progressed…

According to my “Key” above, several items were completed, laundry was in process, and 3 items were moved forward to another day.  When something is moved forward to another day, it doesn’t always have to be the very next day.  Something might be designated for a week later, or a few days later.  It doesn’t matter exactly when it is rescheduled for, just that it does get rescheduled.

This is the next day.  Laundry, drawers, and bedding did not get done at all, and since July 4th was the next day and the weekend was next, they were just deleted off my list for now.  I started working on RAK/Washi Swap addresses, but didn’t finish, but I know that I did get started by my little “dot” in the box.  Two items, nursery and watering were actually completed on this day.

This is the morning of July 4th.  I had a bunch of stuff to do to get ready for friends coming over in the evening.  I did great with my list and only had to reschedule cleaning out my fridge, something I moved to Sunday morning, and as of this moment (3:10pm on Sunday afternoon when I’m writing this), I have not done it yet!

And this is today.  I’ve done a few things, but there are a bunch more on my list to do!  The dots indicate chores that have been delegated to my son.  I have a few items on my list that have been completed (watering, planting, and food for hubby).  On this day, the list is also color coded, with dark purple being chores in general, and dark blue, a chore for my son because dark blue is his color!

Before the day is over, every box will have something in it.  By dealing with every single box, you can be certain nothing slips through the cracks.  I’m afraid “clean fridge” will have another little arrow as I really don’t want to do that chore, but by writing it down, and ultimately dealing with every box, even if something keeps getting moved forward due to procrastination, or even deleted just because I don’t want to do it, there is accountability by making a record of it.  When something finally does get a check mark, it is a little celebration, especially if that item has a history of arrows day after day!

Drawing little boxes in front of my chores/tasks/goals makes my heart sing.  I don’t know why, it just does.  I think it’s because it makes me feel organized, in control, and accomplished each time something is in the box…

…so I guess I better go clean out that fridge…!!! 🙂