Focus and my ability to concentrate is in short supply. Uncertainty messes with my brain, but world events needn’t derail my desire to be productive. Easier said than done, right? Focus behaves like a muscle. The more I exercise it, the stronger and less painful concentrating becomes. The problem is starting.
When life gets stressful, I resort to Warren Buffett’s Two-List strategy. His directions say to create a detail list of 25 things I wish to accomplish. Long-term goals are proving too difficult to consider, so I fixate on this week. Completing the list is challenging, but I won’t be dissuaded. Eventually, my paper details a wide variety of tasks from housework, to writing posts.
With my twenty-five complied, I narrow the field to my five most important desires. Buffet says to set aside the remaining twenty, and he forbids dabbling with List 2 tasks until List 1 is done. On this Monday morning, even five things are overwhelming. I take Buffet’s instructions a step further and select one task. That means if I’m in desperate need of clean yoga pants, and it is on my leading five, laundry is my focus for today.
Sure, I still must fix lunch, and see to the normal day-to-day necessities, but I must do my wash before I allow myself to pick the next item from my list. But with a distracted mind, it may be my only success. And that’s okay. Tomorrow I promise to tackle another goal.
What will you accomplish today?
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
What will I accomplish today? Read your post. Wash the living room floor, read a biography of Charlotte Bronte, hug my wife, tell her I love her as she tells me she loves me. overeat, watch a Betty Davis movie, take aspirin for the headache I can’t shake, go to bed and not get enough sleep tonight.
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It sounds like you have a full day planned David. I do hope you can shake your headache. I have an allergy induced one, and know they are not fun. Enjoy your day. ❤
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This is a great idea, marshall those jobs and limit their demands. Of to make my list!
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Oh good. Let me know how it works for you. ❤
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Not feeling good today, but did look at the list!
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Yes. One step in the right direction. Please feel better.💕❤💕
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Pretty sure I just have the good old fashioned cold, as sneeezing isn’t on the list of symptoms for the virus…
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Yes, I have allergies. These days everything is suspect. 👍😊
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I like the process of picking one thing if all else fails, it is the focus that is important.
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The real benefit is when that one thing is done in a couple of hours. What a feeling of success. 👍 I sometimes get 5 things accomplished all in one day. Amazing.
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Great share… I have never read Warren’s list of 25. Sounds like a good idea! Hey, is your remodel done? Hopefully, they finished so if you are staying home, it’s happy and pleasant.
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No, unfortunately. Our rough-in inspection took 5 weeks due to an unscrupulous inspector. After reporting him, and having him removed from his position, we finally got sign offs last week. This week we are moving forward., but that means we are still in our one room, short-term accommodations. The last few weeks have been challenging. 😊👍
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Oh no! Sorry to hear this, but GLAD you got the bad guy OUT! Well, you are definitely being TESTED with one room, that’s for sure! Hang in there! At least you can VENT in your writing — good if you need to write an “ANGER/FRUSTRATION” scene! 🙂
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Ha. Maybe I need to write a murder mystery. 😈
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LOL – We have to go with what INSPIRES us… I always enjoy listening to the Master Writer classes, some of those authors are very good.
Have you ever listened to Jerry Jenkins? He’s really good. https://jerryjenkins.com/how-to-write-a-book/
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Yes, Jerry and I are old friends. He pops into my inbox every once in a while to make me feel guilty 😊 I keep telling him I am doing the best I can right now.
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Reblogged this on The Reluctant Poet.
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Thank you for the reblog, Charles. 💕❤💕
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