how to find freedom for your to-do list {PRINTABLE}

Between all the Pinterest pins-o-cuteness and the comparisons I conjure up in my mind, I have 482 things that want to make it to my to-do list for today. Approximately. This cultural pull towards outward perfection drains me dry. Which is why I rebel from it. And why I don’t have updated pictures of my kids on our walls…or own a laminater.

It’s just. too. much.

 

 

So I choose one thing to do each day. Only one. And I’m not talking the super-spiritual (correct) answer that says “I will only worship God today.” Though I pray I only worship God today, even when/if I clean the toilet. But that’s not what I mean.

 

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Colossians 3:23-24

 

I mean I only choose one extra thing for my to-do list. In two, sometimes three, categories. Yes, I have my typical daily things like take a shower and make my bed and feed my soul…and feed the people in my house. But beyond those everyday tasks, I only add one extra thing to my list — and most times it isn’t pinnable.

For example. I may decide that my extra “writing” thing for today is to draft a blog post. Or I may decide that my extra “personal” thing is to paint my nails. Priorities. Whatever it is, there’s a huge release of pressure when only one thing makes it to the list rather than hundreds of things.

Some days I may have more time to give or more things that “have” to be done, but most days life is full of relationship things that deserve my primary attention. And if I spend my mental energies mapping out how these hundreds of other things will get done, or stressing that they won’t, I miss the moment.

So I’ve created a printable. It works great if you laminate it (for all you laminater-owners) or put it in a frame (the cheap, plastic box frames work great) and then each day you can write your one thing on it with a dry-erase marker.

And if you don’t get that one thing done, you can erase what you originally wrote and write something in the space that you did accomplish. That’s what I do to encourage myself when the day gets away from me. “Just breathe today.” Check.

Click here to go to my printable store to download the file.

Fill me, Lord…

How do you keep your to-do list “under control”?