Thanksgiving Checklist

Last year, following the Getting Things Done methodology, I thought I would document “what” we did “when” for Thanksgiving so as to save ourselves some time this year for the eating event of the year.

I wasn’t alone.

Somewhere out there in the Blogosphere, an Excel spreadsheet was developed that provided the dish to be prepared in the first column with each dish in a separate row and the time of day to prepare the dish as columns with a little “x” by the start and end times.

Could you prepare the yams on Wednesday night instead of Thanksgiving day? Yes! Start it at what time and it would be completed, put in the ‘fridge and then warmed up Thanksgiving Day.

So last year I kept what we had for a menu. How many boxes of dressing. How many yams. How big the turkey was and how long it lasted for leftovers. What I made on Wednesday night and what we made on Thanksgiving Day. What time of the day we ate that famous turkey dinner so I knew what time to start everything.

I answered the question as to whether we should bake or buy the pumpkin pie.

But I didn’t realize archiving by default on my Outlook applied to tasks, notes, calendars, and thought it only applied to Mail. My Thanksgiving past was in one of my notes.

I can’t remember if we should bake or buy the pumpkin pie.

If any of you out there have a good template to follow for the Thanksgiving feast, I’d love to hear about it in the comments. If you were that cool blogger brave enough to post your Excel spreadsheet outlining your dishes and times to cook, I’d really love to hear from you.

These were tools that reduced the stress of the holiday and made Thanksgiving a lot more about, well, thanksgiving.

But don’t worry. My priorities are straight. It’s not about pimping your Thanksgiving Holiday, it’s about enjoying it.

While there are many readers from all across the planet reading about this unique American holiday here on Pimp Your Work, the universal truth about Thanksgiving is that it was meant to celebrate the things in our lives to be thankful for through our work. Take a moment and think about that. Toast a glass of your favorite drink and celebrate what you have to be thankful about this day.

From my family to yours — have a great Thanksgiving.