Every Saturday morning, just after our second cup of coffee, Lea and I make a list of what we need to accomplish before sleep overwhelms our tired and spent bodies late Sunday night.  The staples are always present: laundry, mow the lawns, grocery shop, and clean the pool.  We rarely list the fun things; movie, dinner out or play time with the grand kids, because we don’t want them to feel like a chore. Fun, although well planned, should be spontaneous by design. When we complete an item on the list we check it off with pride.  Often on Saturday afternoon we review our list together to assess our progress.  If we have done something not on the list and completed the task, we add it to the list so we can check it off.  Our system of measuring weekend accomplishments has taken decades to perfect and has managed to successfully keep full blown OCD at bay.  We have considered teaching classes on our method, but so far have decided against it. (However, if it ever makes the list we will do it).  Our weekend ritual of making and checking boxes for work activities is both functional and enjoyable for us, but I wonder, what else in my life has become a ritual of checking the box?

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