Automating

Today, I want to talk about automating … 

I know! Riveting, right?

Let’s start with a simple definition … 

Automating in its simplest form is just making things “automatic.” 

More and more, I’ve come to realize how repetitive a lot of my “to-do’s”  are … it’s a lot of the same thing day after day after day … week after week … month after month … year after year … 

I have to get humans ready and out the door five days a week. 

I have to work five days a week.

I have to cook seven days a week, multiple times a day.

I have to make a grocery list every week.

I have to pay my bills every month.

I want to take care of myself every day.

I have to do my husband’s paperwork for the farm quarterly.

I have to pay for my insurance once a year.

I have holiday traditions I want to maintain each year.

I have chores to do. 

Rather than using up my precious head-space every day with the same things over and over and over again … more and more, I’ve attempted to “automate.” 

How? 

Truthfully, it boils down to a whole lot of checklists … 

Getting everyone out the door in the morning with everything they need?

I’ve made a checklist for that.

Getting ready for my weekly read aloud each week?

I’ve made a checklist for that.

Getting done everything I need to get done during the week for work?

I’ve made a checklist for that.

Taking a road trip?

I’ve made a checklist for that.

My own daily personal self-care?

I’ve definitely got a checklist for that.

My weekend to do’s?

The checklist is on the fridge.

Everything we need for hockey?

The checklist is posted at the door .

*This one came after a stick was forgotten at home one day.*

Our finances? 

I’ve got a spreadsheet for that too. 

My workouts?

Yep, daily checklists are made for the month!

I know it sounds dry, but making these checklists (and actually using them) has been HUGE in helping me manage my anxiety and those horrible, horrible feelings of overwhelm I battled FOR YEARS! 

At the end of August, I decided I’d had enough of feeling anxious … enough of feeling overwhelmed … so, among other things, I’ve adopted “automating” as a regular practice. 

If it feels too binding for you, I get it … I resisted these “checkboxes” for years … it seemed too formulaic for me … too rigid … too prescriptive … it lacked the “creativity” and spontaneity I yearned for … 

When I look back now, though, I can see the unnecessary stress and grief that not having a plan or an “outline” caused me over the years … 

I don’t have to think about “all the things” anymore … I don’t have to worry that I’ll forget something … I just take a minute to look at the list, then do what still needs to be done … 

Of course, I don’t ALWAYS check the list, which does cause me trouble on occasion … but, for the most part, automating has served me well … 

 Who knew that there’d be so much freedom in sitting down to create a few lists???

I really encourage you to get started with your OWN lists TODAY! Here’s a worksheet to get you started: