Chaos ensues, mayhem reigns, the timid cower beneath their desks, and I alone face the bombardment. Ok, maybe that’s a bit overdramatic, but then again, perhaps not. While we can’t always control what happens, we can determine our response. It is almost amusing when everyone is screaming, yelling, and running around in circles from sheer panic. I choose to step back, access the facts, weigh the gravity of the situation, consider my options, consult my procedures and protocol, make a decision, and act. Or not. I learned long ago, some events will sort themselves out without my involvement, while others demand swift and decisive action.

The necessity of a quick reaction is where planning, list-making, and employing a moment to think through different scenarios to their ultimate consequence comes into play. Moments like this are why I maintain daily schedules, weekly agendas, monthly forecasts, quarterly projections, and annual goals. Working through the process is excellent training for emergencies, and it helps to mitigate the number of catastrophes that occur.

Like Mary, the simple technique of creating a checklist of what needs to be done eases my anxiety and calms my mind. If I relied on my brain to remember every single one of the countless tasks, promises, and commitments I have made, I would become a blithering idiot. I can’t forget what I am supposed to be doing because I wrote it on a piece of paper. Now, where did I put my list?

Do you keep a To-Do list?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer