(May be this should have been a prequel to my previous post)

In the past few days, I have gone through some drastic changes in my work routine. I have come to realize that work gets done not because we are having a check-list of to-do things to follow but rather an urge to get those things done. When I say "urge", I mean a sheer love to do that thing which is on the list.That was the very reason some things on my list would get done and some just wouldn't.

For over six years in my professional life, I have made several to-do lists, organized my calendar, thoughts, ideas in notebooks and of course made dozens of business plans (had that bound too ;-) . In that span, one of the biggest take aways for me during my "ups" in life were when I learnt that these organizers, binders, e-mails, calendars, excelsheets and documents were simply a support system to help me succeed in what I "love" doing. The problem is that when we start compartmentalizing and organizing our life, we somewhere lose the very purpose of our tasks and activities. This is the same reason why we are able to work better after a vacation or a refreshing weekend out of the workplace. This keeps us sane and helps us reconnect with our "purpose" to have born on this planet! (No, really!). This is the real reason that urges us to do well in our life. 

The problem is that as humans, we need a lot of objectivity in life. We need to know what exactly needs to be done. It is like when we need the answer to the universe, one answer to everything. This search for objectivity leads us to use these support tools - be it our phonebook, our awesomely cool business card holder or probably our most up-to-date excelsheet. Unfortunately, with some of us (at least me!), we are caught up in organizing and re-organizing this list every now and then.

I was spending more time doing things that I needed to do to do things that I love to do, instead of simply doing things that I love to do. 

Finally, the question that I asked myself a few weeks back was this: is my life going to revolve around organizing my organizer or living a life where I do things that I love. The answer to this question required me to get rid of my to-do list and goals and objectives in work and personal life. I did that and asked myself some questions:

1. What do I love doing?
2. Has my love to do those things in the past resulted in success?
3. Was I having an itch to do things for which I never found time?

For all these questions my answers were YES!

I took complete control of my "objectives". I made my mailbox and my calendar my to-do list. Reason: I loved to get things done on that than on my list. (it could be some other tool for you - may be your cellphone or your diary or simply a sheet of paper - that's all you need for your nuances). I stopped organizing my organizers. While on the other hand, I made a list of things I loved doing (my "subjectives" - the stuff that you can not put a price tag on, the stuff that you will love doing now or probably even 10 years down the line") . This was a list that I started caring about more. If this wouldn't get done, I would be unhappy. It did not matter what else needed to get done as that was just a way to happiness and not happiness itself.

It's been awhile since I blogged but I am glad that I am writing again! :) Anywho, in my constant search to work better and more efficiently, I probably rethink my to-do list every 3 months or so - which I think is healthy. What is not is the fact that there is always a long list of things on it which is only being thrown from one list to another and the thing just does not get done. I noticed that my list had things which had a very peculiar nature which led to them never getting done:

a) my list contained things that I really hated doing

b) my list contained things that I actually love doing

c) my list contained things that I just did not see value in - I thought the ROI was not just worth it.

and of course my favorite

d) my list contained things that I thought were easy to get done and I loved doing - (well, who cares to change that, right?)

Last week, I came close to my search for the ultimate to-do list. One that would contain a list of things that I need not strike off. It was in fact not a to-do list where I would strike off each item. It was more of a reminder list of things that I love doing. Yes, that's right. I made a list of things that I love doing rather than a list of things that I have to get done. This askew perception changed the way I started looking at my work and personal life. Now my list contains:

a) a list of things that I love doing - that's it

which will help me achieve my personal and professional goals. So how do I use it? It's quite simple. My daily nitty grittys are either marked on my calendar or are in my mailbox. What I love doing is keeping my Calendar and my Mails up-to-date!  So that solved one problem of not having to add ad-hoc items to my to-do list - they are either instantly acted upon or marked on my calendar.

My "To-Do list" is now a "List of Things I love doing". Here's one checked off the list for me today:

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