Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Checklists

Everything needs to be maintained to be as best as the original condition: cars, houses, friendships, work, stamina, faith, interests, communication, etc. Over time, you pause to study the damages done and try to repair or upgrade.

My life is full of checklists. Checklists for daily chores within the house, checklists for the responsibility I have with my children, checklists for the tasks I have to do and checklists of the religious commitments I have. It's a way I try to maintain the good things I have now. There are also things that I don't list down in my checklists but are often there at the back of my mind. They are things I know I should do but am playing dumb about.

Maintaining your momentum in the fast pace of life is difficult. It's challenging. It's nerve-wrecking. Nevertheless, you persevere...

I am now writing a book of checklists - a practical guide for Muslim parents and children. I'm perhaps being too ambitious but I didn't write it without a purpose. The book was aimed to help my children and perhaps could be shared with some close friends in the same situation as I am. You see, I even print out checklists for my children as a routine!

This is not the first book I have written but the first of its kind. My intention was to complete it by mid this year but ... I've got to check my own checklist first. Some may say I am too ambitious and that I should prioritise. But hey, I'm not doing this for any reason other than: I NEED THIS FOR MYSELF - literally! I already have a friend who's willing to co-write with me and that's already good news! (Yes, Sis, if you're reading, it's Y.O.U!!). God willing, I'll have it published by the end of the year. Any tips and comments??

21 comments:

Lee said...

Hi D, good idea. I too have a small checklist: bila nak service kereta, annual medical checkup, check fire extinguisher, clean wash ceiling lamps, etc etc.
Before leaving for overseas, I start a checklist, and paste on front door, cannot miss: passport, currency, obat, tutup windows, cancel newspaper deliveries, mail reroute to post office box, info neighbour, give phone number of where we staying incase of any emergency etc...and last on the list, check oven off!
Otherwise already on the plane bang the forehead, "alamak forgot to switch off oven". Game over! Ha ha.
You have a nice day, D. UL.

Darling said...

wow bagus tu d. i doakan u berjaya publish ur book yea. setiap orang kena ada cita2.

ada org kata angan2 tak bagus tp my personal opinion, dr angan2 akan jadi cita2 dan seterusnya jadi kenyataan kalau diusahakan. asalkan jgn angan2 mat jenin dah le. hihihi

i ada gak checklist tapi tak le detail sangat (actually i tak tahu detail or not tapi panjang gak le, penuh dengan segala benda)

1 checklist benda2 yang nak dibuat akan dtg (i panggil checklist ni azam i), 1 checklist semasa (benda2 yg kena buat segera) & 1 lg checklist pasal kerja.

cikdinz said...

at least you have an idea to write a book.
teruskan usaha murni.....

Sue said...

agak2 leh sneak preview kat sini tak?

Anonymous said...

D,

Ex idea! Buku tebal macam dictionary. One page one purpose.

Section 10: Education
page xxx Checklist 'how to get PhD'

D said...

U Lee,
Developing checklists is not only for those with weak memory, you know! It's just a simple way of keeping track of things to do and things we have finally done. But fear not, when on holiday, you can forget whatever it was you didn't check on the list and just enjoy the break - without any checklists. Or, do you also make up a checklist of THINGS TO BUY, NOT TO BUY, TO DO and NOT TO DO?? LOL!

darling,
tu la, draf buku dah ada dan dalam piloting period. tapi to publish it is going to involve MORE things. Tengoklah kalau ada willpower and rezeki!

cikdinz,
Thanks for the support. Semoga usaha murni ni tercapai!

minah celoteh,
boleh.. nanti I buat sneak preview, ok? watch this space!

anon,
aiiikkk.. perli nampak?? when aiming to write up PRACTICAL GUIDE, we can't have it as thick as a dictionary because then it will defeat its purpose, right?? *grin* So, if you want to put everything in, it has to be separated into smaller units: Book 1, Book 2, etc.. Then, I'll dedicate Book 10 to you!!!LOL!

Anonymous said...

D,
Anda telah menambahbaikkan cadangan saya. Buku 1 satu topik, buku 2 satu topik. Then buku 10 bagi dekat l. will do!

13may said...

selamat maju jaya.....chewah:D

Anonymous said...

Think I have too many checklists that I just want to give up on them...anyway, good luck with ur project!

mama23beas

Anonymous said...

kan ke best hidup di dunia kalo takde checklists ni...

aiyah...me & my wishful thinking

Anonymous said...

kan ke best hidup di dunia kalo takde checklists ni...

aiyah...me & my wishful thinking

Darling said...

yakin boleh d.. apa pepatah tu ek.. "dimana ada usaha disitu ada kejayaan". eh betul ke pepatah i tu ek? gheee

aNIe said...

Bagus lah you D...kak lady selama hidup takde checklist...cuma buat checklist bila ade function...kalau tak kak lady guna diari aje untuk buat catatan...

Mama Sarah said...

i love making lists. but tak pernah berjaya ikut them 100%. Well only on rare occasions - dapat ikut. (mostly kalau ada 3 items in the list. haha!)

D said...

anon,
if I get to Book 10, it'll be "especially for you...". Don't you worry! Hehehe.

13may,
InsyaAllah, thanks for the vote of confidence!

mama23beas,
everyone has their own system. If checklists are of no use to you, then why bother?? Enjoy yours to the most!

kc,
sigh*, yeah... wishful thoughts are no harm, eh??

darling,
wah.. you're my pom-pom girl now. Thanks. Colour apa yek pom-pom u?

kak lady,
eh, ada diary tu kira checklist gak la... janji apa-apa sistem untuk memudahkan perjalanan seharian. ye dak?

mamasarah,
giggle*giggle* I know what's on your list right now.... betul tak? Well, we only plan things work out as intended. Sapa kata mine always works out 100%? Hehehe...

Anonymous said...

Puan D,
semoga berjaya. Terima kasih kerna menyapa saya tempohari di blog Prof MKI.

Idham said...

:) best wishes with the book project!

this is the most original idea i hv heard abt which to write a book on...if u want, i can contribute with one or two checklists...

arif

D said...

pakcikjam,
thanks.

arif aka idham,
no probs... ideas are most welcome (ada copyright tak?) HEHEHe...

maklang said...

wah...ni kerja banyak detail lah...tapi with a checklist it will make your life more organized...

Intan said...

i think checklists are a good idea.... if only i were disciplined enough... might improve my life a hundred fold! Good luck on your project!

Anonymous said...

Wah, by year end you said? Good for you! (quoted from a book) A certain Mr. Thoreau said : “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.”
Go & get it done!
BTW, I've been organising my list of things to do under the 4-quadrant ie 2 crossing axes of order of importance & urgent-nest. For things to buy pulak, under must buy or get-extra-money-can-buy or forget it! Heheheh