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To-Do List Paralysis

I have a day planner, a physical one, quite a beautiful one, that I have not touched in months. It started well, with lots of good intentions. Then I reached a point where I was just lucky to make it through the day and maintaining the planner fell by the wayside.

For The Move I have a rather extensive list of Things That Must Be Done. No ifs, ands, or buts, these stuff has to happen before I go. It feels like it all needs to be done immediately, which is paralyzing. It would be impossible to do it all at once.

On the other hand, a lot of it cannot even be started until after the sale of my parents’ house is 99% approved. The thing about real estate is that until closing, anything can happen. We’re waiting on the last piece before closing to get approved, then we have to seriously swing into action. Not being able to act is paralyzing.

Knowing that you can’t act and then will suddenly have to do a million things is also paralyzing.

Basically, it’s a lot of anxiety, is what I’m saying.

I’m trying to manage the anxiety and stave off the paralysis by keeping organized. I’ve set up at project on Teamwork.com, a great project management tool. I’m prioritizing. I’m scheduling. I’m trying to remember to look at it every day and do what I’m supposed to do that day.

I haven’t looked today, so I just have a hazy idea of ‘make more doctor’s appointments’. I want to get in final check-ups, collect my medical records, and get doctor’s notes for prescriptions.

(In case you were interested, no, I won’t be going for any special shots. The nation has problems but it’s not a disease hotbed, and I won’t be going on safari (YET). I’m much more likely to be taken down in the first six months by lesser local bugs like flu. The last time I went I was sick in bed for a week, during which I slept. I woke up to a doctor making a house call. They still do that there! And pharmacies deliver!)

Anyway, I need to make an agenda for the week. I will hopefully get about 80% of it done. If I keep managing 80%s I’ll eventually get 99% of my total done! And then cry about whatever I forgot.

Image by Chris Lott

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