To Don't

The clock on my desk showed 8:05 in bold red letters. I had just arrived in my office. I tapped my fingers on my desk and fidgeted in my chair as my computer warmed up. Impatient to start the day, I sipped my jumbo cup of coffee and scanned my To Do list.

Item 1 - return phone call from G.
Item 2 - finish research for P/C.
Item 3 - reschedule 10:00 for Friday.

The list went on and on. And on. And on.

I sighed. The tasks had changed from yesterday. Yet they were exactly the same.

I'd plow through half the list by lunch. By the end of the day I would accomplish everything I had set out to do. And I would have accomplished nothing.

If checking off all the items on my list was so important, why didn't I feel satisfied? I crumpled my To Do list and dropped it in the trash can next to my desk. I needed a change in attitude.  I needed a change in direction.  I needed to break out of my rut.

In my drawer I found a large pad pf bright pink paper.  I had picked it up at a conference last year but put it away because it didn't look professional enough.  I pulled out an orange magic marker.  No one had used it since the last time Eric visited my office and spent the afternoon drawing giraffes.

On the top of the page, I wrote in big block letters "To Don't." Then I started my list.  It looked like this:

1. Don't compromise on your values.  If you lose your values you lose everything. 
2. Don't focus on the negative.  Look for the bright spots around you.
3. Don't sit in front of the computer all day.  Get up and talk.
4. Don't work through lunch.  Enjoy time with your friends.
5. Don't forget to call Mom and Dad and say I love you.
6. Don't forget to hug your babies tight before they go to bed.  Then hug them again.
7. Don't miss a chance to tell Ken how much he means to you.

I pulled out a roll of tape and posted my new list on my computer.  Finishing this list felt like it was going to be much more rewarding experience.