Nota bene
Inspiration observation - a response to Mark Dykeman
I hate ‘to do’ lists.
I put things on them.
That, at least, helps free up thinking and/or memory processing.
But then I inevitably forget about them, and most of the things I put on my ‘to do’ lists just don’t get done.
Out of sight, out of mind.
I love making commonplace book entries, however.
While the items on typical ‘to do’ lists are boring, mechanical, ‘need to be done’ things, commonplace book entries - be they observations, thoughts, original aphorisms, or literary jewels culled from works I’ve read, are the exact opposite - they engage my interest, entertain, amuse, inspire.
And based on my love of making commonplace book entries, I’ve re-thought the ‘to do’ list completely.
Inspired by
’s recent post about his commonplace book system here, and having promised him I’d share … (drumroll) … the new process that has brought positivity and productivity to my pottering … the new system that has brought sweetness in to replace suffering and brought sanity in to replace scrambling … the new – oh, you get the idea …… without further ado, I’d like you to meet …
The ‘To Achieve’ List.There are some simpliples (simple principles) behind it.
Simpliple 1
Where the ‘to do’ list focuses on the name of the problem, the ‘to achieve’ list focuses on the quality of the outcome.
Instead of a ‘to-do’ list entry which looks something like ‘Respond to Mark’, the ‘to achieve’ list entry would look something like ‘Delight Mark with a response to his Substack post’.
The result is more emotionally engaging, and there’s much more of an incentive to complete the task.
Simpliple 2
Where the ‘to-do’ list is limiting, focusing solely on getting things done, the ‘to achieve’ list allows for continuous improvement. The focus transcends the task. By focusing on the desired quality of the outcome, it allows for an exploration of how the task needs to be done to achieve that outcome.
It invites you to constantly refine your processes, and offers an opportunity to improve skills, test out new approaches in the process of engaging with tasks.
In an increasingly automated society, the focus on the qualitative rather than the quantitative, the immeasurable rather than the measurable is liberating.
A companion to the ‘to do’ list is the ‘Achievements’ list.
Sometimes I just want to go with the flow. But I also want to see what I’ve spent my time on and be able to reflect on where my muse has taken me.
Enter: The ‘Achievements’ list.
With no ‘to do’ or ‘to achieve’ lists to start me off, I just dive into tasks. When I’ve completed something, I put it on the ‘Achievements’ list for the day, with a big colourful tick after it.
You end up with a surprising amount of ticks - particularly if you reward yourself for taking a break, for enjoying a cup of coffee, for noting down an inspiring thought that could end up in a story. Just looking at those ticks running down the page and realising that you’ve achieved so many valuable things which you wouldn’t necessarily have put down on a ‘to achieve’ list because they’re the kinds of things that arise spontaneously because you’ve allowed yourself to be open to them - and those are achievements well worth celebrating.
I’ve found the process has allowed inspiration to flow more - and I’ve been able to note things down without disrupting or interrupting that flow. Furthermore, it’s allowed me to go back, reflect on, and build on that flow and observe the process by which inspiration flows - and invite more of it in.
It is, indeed a process of noting well.
Excellent idea.