Those of us in this war on our disorder, facing each battling day with all the challenges we face can relate to what I’m about to say. Growing up my mom always prompted me to make a list of the things I need to do for each day. My grandmother always encouraged me to keep a journal to organize my thoughts. These two strategies would stick with me for a week or two and then I would fall off the wagon. Old habits really are hard to break, and being a behavior therapist, I now know that behavior needs to be conditioned. It takes practice. I’ve been keeping a journal now for a few years. For me it’s a prayer journal. I write my concerns for those around me, the challenges I’m facing, and ask guidance for God’s will to be done. Just this past month I have found myself making lists for almost everything. It feels good to cross something off the list. It gives you a set of achievable goals and there is nothing like the relief of finishing a lists of tasks. I guess a lot of my resistance towards lists the past many years is the fact that I feel controlled on a list. I feel somewhat boxed in to what I have to do. In reality, the list gives you control. You make the list. You decide the order it needs to be done, and with it written down you don’t have to worry about remembering what you have to do. Along with list writing I recommend for one week writing down what you do every day on the hour. Once this list is completed create a time management schedule for yourself. I made my time management list two weeks ago, and today is the first day I’ve stuck to it. Remember friends, change does not happen overnight. Behavior is conditioned, it will take time.