You Forgot One Important Thing on Your To-Do List—Happiness!

by Djulia Montana ‘tahna’ de Veyra

“Stop to smell the flowers.”

You’ve probably already had tons of self-help gurus tell you that you must have a to-do list ready if you wish to get things done. And they probably gave you the same old drill—‘Put everything that needs to get done on pen and paper..’ Or they might have tried to sell a sophisticated downloadable schedule program. What I am going to share is the same old pen and paper to-do list, only better. 

I stumbled upon this article written by Wild Bill (of Passionate America, a blogsite centered on the pursuit of happiness). It’s called ‘Adding Happiness to Your To-Do List’. Wild Bill talks about adding an important missing link in your to-do list, and that is the pursuit of happiness.

So instead of just jotting down..

Cook breakfast ? bacon, eggs, hash browns, and coffee.

Wild Bill writes..

• Cook breakfast ? more bacon because bacon make me happy, eggs, hash browns, and coffee. Get my 3 year old son to help because he loves to help.

He also makes other interesting changes to his to do-list..

Clean house ? yes I’m really going to clean the house.

• Clean house ? yes I’m really going to clean the house. Put on some music, Michael Buble

Cook lunch and start dinner ? lunch : Wild Bill’s home made vegetable soup, dinner : 15 bean soup

• Cook lunch and start dinner ? lunch : Wild Bill’s home made vegetable soup, dinner : 15 bean soup. Get my wife and son’s to help and have fun cooking.

Bedtime

• Bedtime ? Kiss my wife goodnight!

Wild Bill added in a few simple leisurely activities and he went back on track with his pursuit of happiness.

All of us should follow suit. We don’t necessarily have to make a to-do list. The tool, though effective, may not serve its purpose to some people. What we should emulate is the way Wild Bill goes searching for happiness in little things.

There is valuable wisdom in it. After all, it is in small and simple things that we easily find joy and serenity (no cash needed, or credit cards at that). Of course it’s always great to go chasing after big dreams. But we should never forget to stop and smell the flowers while we’re at it. It’s still the best and most effective way we can keep ourselves sane, even while living an insanely harried life.

So go ahead and put your multi-tasking skill into good use. Start including happiness in your schedule from now on!

photo credits:  http://www.marinasmasters.com/2006/2008/04/29.html

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