My To-do Lists Have Lists

People think I'm joking when I say my lists have lists.  I'm not. I really do have lists for lists.

And as so many of the things on the lists are long-term projects, sometimes it feels like the list never ends and things never get checked off.

But then a bunch of things come together in a flurry of activity and I get to check multiple things off a list. Sometimes that even results in an entire list being completed.

No, that isn't happening today. Maybe next week. Or maybe not.

But I'll keep moving through all the things. Little by little, they all get done.

The other thing with my lists is that they are pretty chaotic because I often work on multiple projects at once, overlapping things that are similar, but just different enough to keep my attention.  

Call it undiagnosed ADD or ADHD, manic episodes, whatever, but I need that constant variety to keep my brain engaged and myself productive. 

It’s why I edit, proofread, and read multiple books at a time. Because working on one for hours makes my brain hurt. And I get distracted. With multiple projects, that distraction leads me to another project. If I don’t have one to turn to, I get frustrated, bored, become unmotivated, and then I start to self-doubt and spiral.

So what does that mean for my lists? Sometimes they look longer than they really are. But when I’m looking at them, they can look overwhelming because of it. And it get anxious, because how the hell am I ever going to finish all of these things?

It’s also why I rarely share my lists with other people. Because most people would look at them and lecture me about how I’m doing too much (I know, I am, but I need to have the things to do or I get anxious that I don’t have things to do). Or, my bigger fear, they’ll look at them and decide I don’t have time for them or their project. And that is a huge fear for me. Because I thrive on helping others.

And on remaining relevant. But that’s a blog for another time.

So, tell me: Do you keep lists? If so, what methods, strategies, and supplies to you use to keep yourself on track?