I don’t think this will come to a surprise to anyone who reads my blog or knows me in person.   I sometimes have trouble following through with tasks I would like to accomplish.  I can have the vision.  I can make great plans and see how they would work (usually).  However, putting those plans into action trips me up a lot more often than I care to admit.   I always have great intentions and then, one of the following happens:

1. It’s a task I really don’t want to do so I employ everyone’s favorite strategy:  Procrastination!  It is so much easier to make a great move in Words With Friends than to mop the kitchen floor and (sometimes–not always) takes a lot less effort.

2. I don’t know where to start with a task so I simply do not.  Even as I write that I can see how sad it sounds.

3. I commit to do too many things and forget what I said I would do.  Can I blame the forgetting on old age?

4. I don’t want to do a poor job so (oh no, here’s another variation of that procrastination stuff!) I put it off until I have more time or information or both.  I may or may not look at Pinterest and Facebook way too much while doing this.  Fear of having the wrong outcome essentially freezes me in place.

5. The task turns out to be harder than I anticipated so I do part, save the rest for “later” and then “later” turns into “not ever getting done”

I’m not sure if it is related to the boys being home for the summer or not but my list of unfinished tasks is starting to take a toll and make me a bit anxious and grumpy.  I need a plan!  Hey, I CAN make a plan.  I know I have that much skill-ha!  Since one of the areas where I seem to be struggling is writing blog posts, I’m going to officially start having “Follow Through Fridays” around here.   Happily (or sadly?), I should not run out of tasks I need to follow through on for oh, I don’t know, at least a year!  I’ll share my list of three tasks I will follow through on each Friday (progress report on Saturdays) and invite you to share three tasks you need to follow through on as well.  Please, tell me I’m not the only one struggling!  I need to know I’m not alone in this.  The tasks can be as simple or complex as you’d like to make them.  This is just about getting things done.

Here is my first Follow Through Friday list:

My messy computer desk where many unfinished tasks take cover.

1. Clean Off Computer Desk (See reason #1 above)

2. Complete Substitute Teaching Application Video Training Materials (This information is buried on my messy desk and I keep putting it off because of reason #4)

3. Make a daily schedule for the boys and I this summer (see reasons #1, 2, 4, & 5 listed above)

The list seems short to me and I’m resisting the urge to add bonus items to it.  However, I know if I can just concentrate on getting those three things done that I will feel so much better and less stressed.  Who knows I may actually do some extra items today once I get started and FINISH the three tasks listed.  Leave me a comment and let me know what 3 items are on your follow through list for today and then come back tomorrow and see my progress as well as to share your own progress either in the comments or (if I can figure it out) link up your blog.

Let’s have fun together with Follow Through Fridays!