Ten Things Not to Do When You Have a Honey-Do List

~ John W. Howell

Honey Do List

The inspiration for this list has been a number of years of being the recipient of lists of things that needed fixing. I hope you enjoy it.

10 If you receive a honey-do list, do not laugh at the items on the list. If you do, at best you’ll get one of those looks that turn brave thoughts to flee instincts. At worst, you’ll have to try to defend the undefendable fact that you haven’t kept up with normal maintenance. (The couch is pretty lumpy wouldn’t you say?)

9 If you receive a honey-do list, do not take shortcuts to complete the list. If you do, At best the inspection will produce some embarrassing deficiencies. At worst, you find yourself in the do-over mode, and it will take longer than the original mode would have taken. (Was that game you rushed to see worth it, Buster?)

8 If you receive a honey-do list, do not try to substitute available materials for those that require a store trip. If you do, at best the fix will last a month or two. At worst, you’ll find at the conclusion of the job definite evidence that you blew it.(How do feel about a bedroom full of water? Bunky)

7 If you receive a honey-do list, do not try to do it if you don’t know how. If you do, at best you will need to call a pro to complete the work. At worst, you will need to call a pro to fix what you messed up and then finish the work. (Feel good about paying twice what the project would have cost in the first place?)

6 If you receive a honey-do list, do not call your friends to help. If you do, at best they will all but prevent the job from being completed. At worst, none of them will have the skills needed but will make an attempt to help with questionable results. (You did incur beer and food costs in addition to the repair of the repair costs, huh, Bud?)

5 If you receive a honey-do list, do not ignore the instructions as to the desired outcome. If you do, at best the job will never be satisfactory. At worst, your usual roundabout way of doing things will add time and cost to the project. (Maybe it wasn’t necessary to dig that hole and build a foundation for the flower box after all, right?)

4 If you receive a honey-do list, do not fail to finish each item. If you do, at best you will appear to be someone who needs planning help. At worst, you will be faced with someone who has been hired to complete what you start. (Man those labor costs are killers aren’t they?)

3 If you receive a honey-do list, do not make excuses for not doing the items. If you do, at best your excuses will fall on deaf ears. At worse, the excuses will be used as justification for engaging Beaucoup Bucks & Sons contracting.(What’s in a name? Whoa!)

2 If you receive a honey-do list, do not put off getting to work on it immediately. If you do, at best the list will only get longer. At worst, there will be a growing feeling that you will never get the list done which will culminate in an introduction to Beaucoup Bucks & Sons. (Man those sons sure have dirty shoes don’t they?)

1 If you receive a honey-do list, do not fail to report results of projects completed. If you do, at best there will be no record of accomplishment. At worst, you will not have confirmation that the job is complete, and it may just show up again. (You have to demonstrate you can get things done, Buford.)

45 thoughts on “Ten Things Not to Do When You Have a Honey-Do List”

  12. Hahaha…I’ll have to forward this to the RS. He’s really good, but will procrastinate. If he goes longer than six months (but still has time to work on his boat: : If you receive a honey-do list, do not make excuses for not doing the items. If you do, at best your excuses will fall on deaf ears. At worse, the excuses will be used as justification for engaging Beaucoup Bucks & Sons contracting.(What’s in a name? Whoa!) Happens. He really hates when that happens.

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  13. We established early on in the marriage that my hubby had no aptitude for household maintenance whatsoever unless he was heavily supervised – instead he got honey-find-someone-to-do-these-chores-properly lists, hastily amended to honey-find-someone-to-do-these-chores-properly-and-not-the-cheapest-quote lists. I’m sure we saved a lot of money and a great list of reliable artisans that way! 😉

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  15. Those dreaded lists. Ha ha ha. I remember the days when…
    I found the best way was not to hand over a list–too overwhelming. Something along the lines of, “Might you do me a favor? The (fill in job required). When that is finally done, take a deep breath and mention the next one.
    These are super great and so true. 😎 😀

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  17. From Douglas Adams’ excellent “The Meaning Of Liff” (the dictionary that gives a name to things with no definition, taking all the words from place names around the world):

    Worksop (n.)
    A person who never actually gets round to doing anything because he spends all his time writing out lists headed ‘Things to Do (Urgent)’.

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