Before our way of life changed due to COVID-19, I often said I wished I could pause the world for a few weeks just to catch up.
The life of a mother is in so many ways, a never-ending high-speed train. Our physical and mental to-do lists can often feel overwhelming, overlapping, and always packed.
At times it felt like I could never catch up. Never catch my breath. We were always moving. Always doing.
But then the world was put on PAUSE.
COVID-19 acted as a giant finger that pressed pause on our previous way of life. For the first time, I was forced to stay home and find ways there to fill our time.
Related: Preparing Our Family for COVID-19
As the world continues the battle against COVID-19, many of us find ourselves continuing to stay at home as much as possible. For the first time in most of our adult lives, we have had hours to just be.
The rush and hustle and bustle… it has all stopped for a while.
Savoring the Slower Life
This new way of life has had many of us living in a way that is slower than we have ever done before.
We are no longer running from here to there and our once-packed calendars are blank.
For the first time in a while, we have free time on our schedules.
The Challenge
While I have enjoyed this slower living in some ways, it has been difficult in others. I am someone who is used to and thrives in routine and accomplishing tasks.
Slowing down and staying home shook our routine and our previous normal was flipped upside down.
And being at home more suddenly meant I became acutely aware of all of the projects I wanted to complete around the house.
I decided to take these days at home, my need for routine and accomplishing things, and create a Life Project’s To-do List
Life Projects To-Do List-Brain Dump
Once we were called to stay home, I decided to make a project to-do list. This list would be comprised of everything I would LOVE to accomplish with this newfound pause.
This new to-do list is a place to brain-dump all of those projects and to-dos that had been swirling around in my mind for the last several months (and before).
This project to-do list is unlike the other to-do lists we all have floating around.
This list is one where you can put everything, and I mean EVERYTHING you have been wanting to complete but felt you didn’t have the time to do.
As a mom of three littles, I am realistic with my expectations of this list. Though I put EVERYTHING I would love to complete on the project to-do list, I have remained aware of the fact it isn’t about getting the list done quickly.
It is simply about being productive when we find the time. It is about finding purpose again and creating a new sense of normal in these different times.
This printable to-do list has provided a place for us to brain dump all that we would like to do, should we find the time. And if there was ever a time we would find the time, it would be now.
A Place to Put Your Would-Love-To-Dos, Need-to-Do’s, and More
This printable to-do list is designed as a place to dump all of those big or little projects you’ve wished you could complete but never felt like you had the time.
Add to this to-do list all of those things that keep getting moved from your other to-do lists because you ran out of time.
Use this list as a home for everything that you think about needing to be done but can’t get to right now.
Household Projects
When adding projects to this list I have included everything but prioritized the projects we already have supplies for. This helps to keep our spending low and helps to reduce clutter in our home.
This includes things such as touching up paint, swapping faucets, and hanging new light fixtures.
When completing these projects my goal is to be productive with our time and get things completed WITHOUT having to leave the house.
De-cluttering and Organizing
I have made sure to include areas of the home we would like to de-clutter and organize such as the garage.
Related: One Month De-clutter Challenge
I have also made time to organize areas of our home and life that needed it, but have been pushed aside due to our busy schedules.
Making a Plan with Your Project To-Do List
Once you have something on your list, you can now plan how to use your new free(ish) time.
I personally like to look at the list at the start of each week. Then I decide what things I am going to work on for the week.
Pick a small project to tackle each day such as sorting out children’s winter clothes or deep cleaning the fridge.
If you have big projects, pick a weekend or series of days to tackle those.
Just like you used to schedule appointments, play dates, and trips… you can now schedule when to tackle these projects.
Finding a New & Productive Normal
I am someone who thrives on schedules.
So for me, the hardest part of this quarantine was the lack of a schedule for myself.
I made sure to create a schedule for the kids but found that I had neglected myself. Before I knew it I was waking each morning with less and less motivation to accomplish things. And frankly, I am not my best self in that form.
By using this list to add a task (or two) to my schedule each day, I am feeling more accomplished and productive.
This simple act of scheduling time for me to feel accomplished has helped me feel more normal and more like myself.
If you are like me and crave that feeling of accomplishment or need to have a schedule for your day, sign up below to gain access to my FREE printables vault and grab your own Life Projects To-Do List.
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