Secret #121 Ride the Endorphin Rush

Brain research shows that when you complete a task on your to do list AND take a second to actually cross it off... your brain releases endorphins into your blood stream... thus you experience a physical and psychological high or lift.

So why not ride the endorphin rush right now? Here's how:

1. Create a list of all that you need/want to do today.
2. Prioritize the list by asking yourself, "If I could only do one of these items today, which one would it be?"
3. Place the number 1 next to that item... and then re-ask the question about the remaining items on your list.
4. Once you have everything on your list prioritized... start at #1 and work at it until you complete it.
5. Once you complete #1, take a second to cross it off your list... sit back... and ride the endorphin rush.

Or—If the above doesn't work—you can go to Starbucks and drink a 16 shot Americano... that ought to do it.

But whatever you do, don't cross anything off your to do list AND drink a 16 shot Americano... I just can't be held responsible for what that might do to you!

Secret #84 Train the Next Generation????

Okay... so my wife was cleaning the house the other day and came accross this to-do list written by our eight-year-old daughter, Libby.

What do you think: Are we training her to manage her life and time well--or are we passing down our neurotic tendencies?

BEFORE YOU LEAVE A COMMENT:
It's important that you see what our eight-year-old actually wrote on her to-do list--so if you have trouble reading this to-do list, double click the picture.

Secret #80 Create a NOT To-Do List

Knowing what to STOP doing is just as important as knowing what you must be doing.

As I was reading the Bible this morning, I read where Jesus said, "I have not come to...." and then he explains exactly what he would not do with his time... and then reaffirmed what he would do with his time. (For the complete context, read Mark 2:13-17.)

Jesus got me thinking today. What is my "NOT-To-Do List"? If I can get my NOT to-do list clear--it wil certainly help me create a clear and properly prioritized to-do list.

Think about it.

If you figure out what you should be doing for this season of your life, but you don't stop doing less important things already in your life... you won't have time to do that which is most important.

This is the law of posteriorities: In order to take on some new activity you must first get rid of an old one. For no one has a limitless capacity to keep adding activities to life without pitching something.

Hence, the law of posteriorities accentuates our need to create a clear Not To-Do List

Click the comment link below and share with us your short NOT To-Do List.

Secret #79 Put "Start Living" on Your To-Do List

My List
as performed by Toby Keith

Under an old brass paper weight,
is my list of things to do today
go to the bank and the hardware store,
put a new lock on the cellar door
I cross em off as I get em done,
but when the sun is set
there's still more than a few things left I haven't got to yet.

Go for a walk, say a little prayer, take a deep breath of mountain air,
put on my glove,and play some catch, it's time that I make time for that.
Wade the shore, cast a line, look up an old lost friend of mine
sit on the porch, and give my girl a kiss,
Start living, that's the next thing on my list.

Wouldn't change the course of fate, but cutting the grass just had to wait,
cause I got more important things, like pushing my kid on a backyard swing
I won't break my back for a million bucks I can't take to my grave,
so why put off for tomorrow what I could get done today.

Like go for a walk, say a little prayer, take a deep breath of mountain air,
put on my glove, and play some catch, it's time that I make time for that
wade the shore, cast a line, look up an old lost friend of mine
sit on the porch, and give my girl a kiss,
Start living, that's the next thing on my list.

Raise a little H***, laugh till it hurts, put an extra five in the plate at church,
Call up my folks just to chat, it's time that I make time for that.
Stay up late and oversleep, show her what she means to me,
catch up on all the things I've always missed,
Start living, that's the next thing on my list.

Under an old brass paper weight is my list of things to do today.