For a Quick Source of Motivation, Make a List

The view from my laptop is giving me anxiety. I’m in my living room, working from my couch, and in front of me are stacks and stacks of boxes. Through my grimace, I also spot cleaning supplies, packing materials, and garbage bags. We moved into our new house not long ago, but we are still up to our eyeballs in chaos—and it’s driving me crazy!

Every surface area—from tables to counters to chairs—is cluttered with cleaning rags, newspapers, mail, coffee cups, pens, and at least one dog toy. Speaking of dogs, my two pups pace around the house all day and follow me from room to room. I know they’re looking for snuggles as their lives have been turned upside down too, but it’s hard to get anything done when they demand to be picked up and comforted every few minutes.

The Beasts

I know I do my best work when I am in a clutter-free zone, working at a brightly-lit desk with dual-monitors, and my beasts (as I lovingly refer to my dogs) are snoozing in their beds. But right now, my living and work environments are out of my control, and the beasts are truly acting like beasts. The only thing I can control is how I respond to the chaos around me. One trick in particular keeps me sane and motivated: making lists.

The first and only box I have unpacked contained all of my list-making tools: notebooks, post-it notes, and all of my favorite pens. Now, before I’ve even had my coffee, I start each morning by writing down everything I have to do for the day. As each task is accomplished, I feel a little lighter, and my mood greatly improves. If I manage to complete my list at the end of the day, I treat myself to a little TV or a long walk with my dogs. These treats keep me motivated and give me something to look forward to.

While I have always made lists for house chores and grocery shopping, right now, I am managing my work tasks and writing assignments with this trick. For example, before writing this blog article, I jotted down a list of my ideas, the deadlines for my drafts, and a few to-dos.

Tasha's To Do List for this Blog Post

As a graduate student, I regularly made lists to keep track of assignments and deadlines. I also created a separate list for each assignment and included the tasks: brainstorm key search terms, research web databases, contact research librarian, annotate articles, outline, draft thesis statement, draft major claims and evidence (with references), revise, and proofread. Not only did these assignment lists keep me organized, they helped track my progress and reminded me that there was an end in sight!

One thing I now get to check off my list is sharing this trick with you! I encourage you to grab a piece of paper and your favorite pen and jot down the to-dos for your next big assignment or even personal task. Hopefully this little tool motivates you and brings you some relief during a chaotic time!

Tasha Sookochoff is a writing instructor in the Walden University Writing Center. Along with earning degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Stout and Depaul University, Tasha has written documentation for the U.S. House of Representatives that increases government transparency, blogged for DePaul University, copy-edited the Journal of Second Language Writing, tutored immigrants and refugees at literacy centers, and taught academic writing to college students.

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