One thing at a time

[linaewen]

Sorry to keep going on and on about my List, but that's what I am living with right now. It's hard to know what to do first when there are so many things to be done! And it gets complicated when other people's duties become your duties.

I have taken on two writing jobs at work that my coworker cannot handle, because she already has too much on her plate -- small jobs as far as number of words to be written, but significant in impact and expanding my writing horizons. The problem is, I now have three urgent projects that are all due next week, to add to my lengthy List of Doom that has been so weighing on my mind of late -- some which ought also to be done right away (if not yesterday!). How do I cope? I guess I'll just have to do one thing at a time!

I posted this quote once before, but interestingly enough, it came across my desk today as part of a newsletter about writing:

I am only one, but I am one.
I cannot do everything, but I can do something.
What I can do, I ought to do, and
What I ought to do, by the grace of God, I shall do. (Everett Hale)

That is my motto for the day and for the weekend, as I chip away at my List of Things to Do. Some of those things are these work-related things, some are family things, some are ministry things. Some have to do with my friends and some have to do with myself and what I do for fun. Many of the jobs I have to do are boring, but no less important for that. ;-)

I am not so good at multi-tasking that I can do them all at once, but if I just do what I can as I am able and enabled, I'll get things done. Maybe not everything this weekend, but by the time Monday rolls around, I think I shall be able to say "Wow, I had a productive time of it, didn't I?" Even if only one thing got done, it's one less thing to worry about. ;-)

Doing one thing at a time is good -- as long as I make sure I look at the thing I finished for satisfaction, and not the many things I didn't yet finish!

Comments

[maidoforange.livejournal.com]

(((Lin))). Good luck with all your tasks. Great and apropros Gondorian bros. avatar! That is a great philosophy that you can't do everything but you can do something. I need to keep that in mind right now myself.

[madamenorthstar.livejournal.com]

I wish you the best of luck getting everything done, Lin...its not easy to take care of everything else and yourself too, but be sure you don't neglect what needs to be done for you, first.

[lin4gondor.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking of doing just that for the rest of the evening -- doing something for myself. And I'm reserving time this weekend for just "me" stuff, too. I've learned the hard way that if I don't do "me" stuff as much as the other, I don't get anything done.

(((((You)))))

Hello

[faramirgirl.livejournal.com]

I love your qoute. It is a good one to live by in this busy life of todays. I think that I will use it in my busy life. Good luck with your list but then I know that you can to it.