TO DO LIST/FLOW CHART

I am stuck again today. True, I’ve thrown some laundry into the washer and thrown out the trash, but that is it. It all feels too much today… again. And some days, I just let that be and know that I am not going to be productive. I’m not up to it. But other days, I know that if I don’t do something soon to help my surroundings, it will only get worse. So what do I do?

Like a lot of people with ADHD, sequencing can really cause me issues. Like I know what I need to do, but I also know that there are several pre-requisite tasks that I need to accomplish first, which will then cause me to freeze up. So simple “To Do” lists just don’t work for me. I have to make a flow chart.

And if that isn’t confusing enough, for my flow chart, I start with a simple “To Do” List.

For example, here is my list for right now, in no particular order, not yet anyway:

  • clean out garage
  • put away recycled art materials bin, it’s blocking the hallway closet
  • order wallpaper for bookshelf project
  • put away disassembled shelving units
  • redo library shelves
  • vacuum
  • sweep and mop hardwood floors
  • sweep and mop disgusting vinyl kitchen floor (that I hate)
  • put away clean laundry, there are no more available laundry baskets
  • organize clean laundry by person
  • continue with dirty laundry
  • finish ceiling shade project, there is an ugly hole in your ceiling with a bare bulb protruding from it
  • Buy printer that connects to the computer with a cable, your last two wireless printers were so annoying that you went office space on them (destroyed them with a bat.)
  • order 8″x11″ laminator sheets
  • Make Picture Exchange Sheets for Bubba, he keeps shuffling his cards instead of using them
  • put away toys
  • dishes
  • Update blog
  • research editing software needs
  • put away clean dishes
  • clean kitchen
  • charge phone to listen to audiobook
  • make inspiration wall
  • clean and organize studio/toy/dining room
  • continue sunflower Hannah Gadsby painting
  • Practice with new camera and equipment for Vlog Plans
  • Start filming for Vlog and ASMR channel

So I write out this list, in no particular order, on a sheet of sketch paper. And then I start to sequence. This means arrows. It also means that I find things that need to be done in a certain order.

Take a look:

Obviously, this is not the best image, and I had to crop out the fact that I wasn’t wearing pants, but you get the idea. Oh, and I technically bought all my ASMR/Vlog equipment after I wrote this. I got too excited.

For an example, I needed to clean out the garage, before I moved the recycled art materials bin, and the disassembled shelving units, because I don’t have any room in the house for the bin or the piles of MDF that I don’t want to throw away.

Then before I can start filming my Vlog, I need to practice with the camera I want, assemble microphone and boom arm, equipment, research editing software, etc.

You get the idea. It may seem simple, but it helps me a lot to find those necessary beginning steps and the rest just falls into place.