The ‘honey do’ list may be growing shorter the longer we ‘shelter in place’ as we wait for the COVID-19 crisis to pass. From the look of recent news reports, we could be staying at home for a while.

At my house, my husband has detailed his car. I’ve cooked enough meals to last for a week. Every bit of laundry is washed, folded, and put away.

Let’s face it. There are only so many tasks we can busy ourselves with while we wait out the ‘stay at home’ order.

Here’s the reality.

Much of the activity around the house is activity without lasting results. The car will need to be washed soon enough. Meals need to be prepared once the current inventory is consumed. Laundry is a ‘rinse and repeat’ activity for all of us.

Instead of cleaning out drawers, organizing the pantry, swapping jigsaw puzzles with the neighbors, or binge-watching movies on television, here’s a bright idea:

Take on a few simple tasks each day that can have profound value by making an unexpected situation just a bit softer and gentler when it really counts.

In just 20 minutes a day, you can assemble time and potentially life-saving information that can make a difference in the clutch moments. Here is what I refer to:

Medications List

Compile a list of your medications and those that your live-in partner, spouse, or parent takes so you are empowered to share it with a medical provider if asked.

Important Passwords

Know the login password to your partner’s cell phone so you can access important contacts, just in case it is crucial to deliver a message to those who need to know.

Investment Accounts

Know how to access your investment accounts, just in case you need to tap them for any reason. That means knowing the login and the password.

Utilities in All Properties

Learn how to turn off the power, water, or gas at all the homes you own, just in case there is a flood or other utility emergency.

Credit Card Info

Write down your credit card numbers so if you are the victim of identity theft, you can quickly respond by cancelling your accounts, saving time and helping to minimize your aggravation.

End-of-Life Wishes

Have you had the conversation with your family about what your final wishes are? Having been married to the love of my life for more than 30 years, I confess, we didn’t have that conversation until a couple of years ago.

Three women I know had their lives turned upside down by sudden disease, divorce, and death. That got me thinking about what I would want for my own end, just in case. It occurred to me that I didn’t know my husband’s wishes in that regard either.

One day, I just asked him, “If something happens to you, and your hope of having a normal life is gone, what do you want me to do about it?”

He said, “Put me out to sea on an ice floe, I’ll fall asleep, and let’s call it good.”

He said it with humor, and we had a good laugh. That simple question started a conversation that went much deeper as we came to appreciate and understand how either of us would approach the end of life.

Knowing each other’s wishes means that we can honor them when the time comes. That’s a whole lot better than not knowing what to do and running the risk of doing the wrong thing at such a crucial time.

These are my suggested six vitally important tasks you can take on today to make dealing with a crisis just a little bit less chaotic. That beats doing laundry every day of the week for the lasting and profound value completion brings to every member of the family.

There are more tips within the Get Your Act Together: Getting Started Template that is my gift to you and to anyone you know who may benefit from it.

Are you prepared to deal with a crisis? What did your preparation entail? Can you take some time to prepare while in self-isolation? Please share with our community and let’s have a discussion!