Does it sometimes feel as though your to do list is never ending?

That as fast as you tick something off, new actions are crowding their way in?

That you’ll never get to the end of it?

You’re not alone.

I love a list.

I find them a super useful way of organising my thoughts. They help me focus on what I want or need to do, and keep me on track. I have different lists for different parts of my life. And of course, it’s always good to tick something off!

However, like anything in life, when overused they can become unhelpful.

They can remind you of all the things that you haven’t done, all the tasks that need your time and attention - when you don’t feel you have enough of either.

And at this time of year, it can feel as though there are even more plates to spin.

So, if your to do list is feeling more like a foe than a friend, try taking 5 minutes to write a ta da list instead.

I first heard about these on a podcast (Happier with Gretchen Rubin), and loved the idea. I now do one at the end of every week, to remind myself of what I’ve done before I get swept up with what’s next. It’s a good counter balance to my inner busy bee :-)

Simply put, you write down all the things that you have already done.

You can think about what you have achieved today? This week? This month? Big or small, get it all down.

What’s good about this?

Sometimes, in the rush of moving onto the next thing, we forget what we’ve already done.

When we acknowledge what we’ve already done, we can see what we’ve been spending our time on, and take a moment to celebrate.

It’s always more fun to grow when we know that we’re growing.

What’s on your ta da list?

And what feels good about remembering what you’ve already done?

Wishing you all a great week,