Make a Ta-Da List

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Everyone knows about to-do lists, but do you know about the Ta-Da list? It’s a great way to know you’ve been productive even when you feel like you haven’t.

Make a Ta-Da List

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Merriam-Webster

Ever feel like you’re just spinning your wheels? You’ve got your planner all set up. You know what needs to get done in a day. But, it seems like you can never cross off all those things on your to-do list.

Those are the days when you need to ditch the to-do’s and focus on the ta-da’s.

Instead of being distracted and discouraged by tasks left undone, create a record of the things you’ve accomplished — even those that were never on your to-do list in the first place.

We all know that there are only 24 hours in a day. We moms try to eek out 25, but I’ve yet to make it happen. While I can have the best intentions to clean out the garage or organize for taxes, the truth is that some days LIFE needs my attention. You know, those little things that I wouldn’t necessarily put on a to-do list, but the things that need to get done.

  • changing diapers
  • comforting a sick child
  • reading a story
  • answering your child’s questions
  • talking with the neighbor
  • taking a walk
  • wiping up spills
  • feeding the dog
  • and on and on and on

You wouldn’t stop to put those things on a to-do list, but they definitely need to be done. And they take time. Rightfully so.

It’s easy to forget that that’s time taken away from the things that were “important” enough to put on your to-do list. However, just because they aren’t on your list, doesn’t make them less important. For some people, it doesn’t really matter what’s on the list as long as life is lived.

But, I’d argue that it’s beneficial to know I’ve been productive, that I’ve done good work, that I haven’t wasted precious time on Facebook or other such pursuits. A Ta-Da list reminds me that I’ve given value to this world, my world, even if I didn’t do all the things I thought I should when I woke up this morning.

As Merriam-Webster says, to call attention to something remarkable. Even if remarkable looks like cleaning up vomit and taking the dog for a walk.

In a sense, the Ta-Da List is like looking at the glass half full, instead of fixating on the one half empty.

What will you put on your Ta-Da List today?

Make a Ta-Da List | Life as Mom

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13 Comments

  1. 😂 Oh my! I’ve been telling my sisters-in-law to make ya-da lists for years! It’s the only way I can really see what I’ve accomplished instead of what I didn’t get done. 😊

  2. If I’m feeling overwhelmed with all the “big” stuff on my to-do list, I will add the “little” stuff that gets done every day. Do Dishes, Wipe Down Counter, Make Lunch, etc. Sometimes I’ll write down things I’ve already done, just to cross them off and give myself a boost. 😉

  3. Yes! My favorite part about jumping on the Bullet Journal bandwagon is that I am doing a much better job at this – just didn’t have a fancy name for it yet! 🙂

  4. I love this. That’s it. Just reading it, I feel so much better about my day yesterday. thank you!

  5. I like this:)

    Today I:
    -washed, dried and sort of folded four loads of laundry
    -organized and prepared food for three meals for four people plus snacks, and did the dishes
    -spent time playing cards with my daughter
    -took a short walk
    -organized and reorganized the mud room and all.the.Gear.
    -talked with my parents when they visited
    -found and cleaned up a few framed pictures that I want to hang
    -asked hubby to hang two shelves (he actually did it!)
    -dusted light fixtures in the kitchen and living room and washed the stove vent
    -definitely changed some diapers
    -sat down with a cuppa tea and read a book (seriously)

  6. I organized my freezers and cupboards today. Didn’t take all that long. Made me feel so much better.

  7. I took care of dishes and laundry. And spent a lot of time thinking about my debate kids. Oh, and I ate fruit.