Son and Mother Poems

Whether you keep a running tally in your head, scratch out ideas on bits of paper, or itemize tasks in a notebook, we all wrestle with our to-do lists. We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with interruptions, yet we are always reminded of what we could be or should be doing. The mantra these days seems to be about balance, but inevitably that goes out the window since one area of your life is likely to be topsy turvy one week and calmer the next. The dog needs surgery, the kids get sick, the bathroom pipes leaked into the dining room. It’s called life, and it’s always throwing you for a loop. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the “coulda,” “woulda,” and “shoulda,” but with a few ideas, it’s not that hard to tame this beast.

Sarah on “keeping your sights set on the big picture”

“You know those Russian wooden dolls that you open, only to find smaller versions inside? Well, that’s kind of how I approach tackling my to-do list – in many different layers. Each January, I create a “big picture” master list, which details my professional and personal goals for the year. Then, each week, typically on Sunday evening, I hold what I like to call a “mini strategy session” for myself. First, I grab my one sheet with my annual goals and I remind myself of the big picture. Then I look at my laundry list of to-do’s that I jot down as they occur to me in a big spiral notebook and identify the four to six things on that list that I absolutely, positively must do that week to move the needle on my big picture goals. I then actually go into my calendar and schedule specific key tasks into my calendar for the week. That way I won’t get sidetracked by a phone call or email, because when it’s an “appointment,” I turn off distractions so I can focus.”

Alicia on “keeping all the balls in the air”

“At any given time, I have three or four different notepads with varying to-do lists. I keep a running list in no particular order on those pads of everything I need to do at home, at work, and for me personally. Lately I’ve added a fourth to keep track of all the things I need to stay on top of for my ailing mother. The purpose of the master list is to make sure that as soon as a to-do task pops in my head I can transfer it to a place that it won’t get “lost” or forgotten. Then, on a day-to-day basis I work from a much shorter list. Each morning I grab all of my big pads, review everything on all of the lists, and then jot down my absolute priorities on my Buttoned Up NothingElse.pad. This allows me to focus my attention on the most important tasks from each area of my life that must get done that day. While some experts say to start with the hardest or least fun, I prefer to begin with something I am good at and enjoy. I usually get the ball rolling by jumping on sales calls. While some might put this at the bottom of their list, I love making that personal connection.”

Here are a few more ways to tackle your to do list.

1. Know What Really Matters to You.

Use the 80/20 rule and separate out what you have to do from just ordinary to-do’s. It so is easy to confuse urgency with importance. Putting out fires can take a lot of time and energy and distract you from your end goals. If you don’t see a task coordinating with your larger goals, put it aside and focus on the things that will get you where you want to be.

2. Make A Reasonable List.

Anyone can put together a list with a zillion bullets, but don’t put together a daily to do list that sets you up for failure. Limit yourself to no more than 10 items per day. Even if you have 30 things to do, figure out which 20 can wait until next week, next month, or even next year, and tackle the 10 that are most important right now.

3. Schedule Your Time & Turn Off.

Make yourself accountable for getting your tasks completed by scheduling them into your calendar. If you block out time to accomplish certain tasks, you’re more likely to get them done. Then, turn off and tune out. Nobody can get something done with interruptions from the phone, email, Tweets, etc.

4. Pat Yourself on the Back.

Reward yourself with a tally of completed tasks from the previous week. Before you start your list for the coming week, try making a list of things you did, big or small, that make you feel proud last week. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing things completed. It motivates you to keep going.

A Day to Remember
I remember that special day when my mom first shared with me a photograph of my grandparents on their wedding day. The ceremonial kind of way my mom showed me the picture, as if she was unveiling a hidden treasure, left an imprint in my mind. She handled it so carefully, worried not to disturb its integrity, as this was the only keepsake of my grandparents the day they got married. The photo was black and white, torn around the edges and slightly faded – it resembled a priceless piece of art and to my mom it really was. In fact, my mother’s siblings often quarreled about who would get to keep it.

Generation Y
Generation Y, also called Generation Next or the Millennials, describes those born between the late 70’s to the early 90’s and are referred to as being ‘always connected’, which is not surprising given the fact that this generation grew up with digital technology such as home computers, cell phones, internet access and MP3 players. I wonder if this generation would appreciate their parent’s wedding day pictures to the same extent as my mom did with her parents. I do not believe the same sentiment would be shared, and who could blame them? Today, married couples, not only get hundreds of pictures capturing their special day, but they also get a video, DVD and the opportunity to share the pictures instantly with people across the globe, through social networking websites.

Digital Photography
Have you ever wondered why our parents have fewer baby pictures of us than parents nowadays take of their children? Sometimes, the last born in a family would be lucky if a baby photo even existed! This is not because our parents loved us less, or were too busy for us (which they probably were), but because digital photography has made picture-taking much more convenient than the older film-based cameras. Luckily, thanks to technology, digital photography has allowed us to even store pictures on the computer and obtain a thousand copies of a picture if we really wanted to; no more need to shudder at the possibility of misplacing, losing or ruining a precious heirloom picture. Today, if a picture is lost, at the simple click of a button, another picture can be printed out. Naturally, you can now see why my mom cherished this picture as if it was a pot of gold, because this picture was irreplaceable, non-replicable, and truly ‘one of a kind However, I have to say that aged photos also possess a unique charm, character and timeless quality that cannot be found in brand new digital photos.

Good Old Days versus Now
Remember the good old days when we would have to take a film to be developed at a camera shop in order to see the pictures. Well, those days are gone! With the invention of digital cameras, film-based cameras have nearly gone instinct. Oftentimes, we would have to pay for every single picture developed from a film, even if every single picture was unrecognizable due to its blurriness. Conversely, with the advent of digital cameras, we are able, not only to see our pictures immediately, but we can even delete the ones we don’t like which can save us money. However, the good thing about going to develop pictures from film is that you are forced with an actual photo instead of only being able to see it on a computer screen. Let’s face it, how many of us who use digital cameras, actually do end up printing the photos from the computer. Hopefully we will, because only this way we can display photos around the house, serving as constant reminders of who we love when we open the refrigerator, sit at our desk, and pass through the hallway, rather than just sitting on an idle hard-drive in a computer.

Some people still fancy the old approach of taking pictures because they claim that with the advent of digital, people stopped putting pictures in albums. The warm cozy feeling you get while browsing through an album, while sitting at the fireplace and sipping on a cup of tea, cannot be compared to watching photos in a cold dark office behind a computer monitor. On the other hand, it can be an annoying chore, nagging at you when you see pictures in your home stacking up waiting to be put in albums; digital photos undoubtedly proves to be a much more convenient way to organize your photos than the old system of family albums.

Whether you choose to store your memories the high tech way of online photo sites or the good old-fashioned way of albums, remember one thing… “A picture is worth a thousand words”.

Dr Sandy Zabaneh is a US board-certified Doctor in Pharmacy who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Physiology from University of California, Davis. Currently, she works as a Health Editor for U Magazine where she writes informative, concise articles about diet, nutrition, fitness, vitamins, medications, herbals and general health. She is a candidate to receive the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Diploma. She works as a clinical pharmacy consultant and life coach who is passionate about helping people live peacefully. Dr. Sandy likes to follow the motto set forth by the World Health Organization in 1948: Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.