Ah, lists. Arguably the foundation of our day-to-day successes, they come in many lengths and levels of organization. Here's what I had to say about them way back in 2015.
Then:
As we enter the season of lists, I find myself thinking about the efficiency of my to-do lists. When I was first retired and had lots of time at my disposal, my lists were beautiful and organized. I utilized my notepad-style page-a-day calendar to its fullest extent, and never wondered where my to-do list was. I kept two, in fact: one master list and one daily list, a combination of my schedule for the day and items pulled from the master list and assigned to available times in the day.
When things get hectic and busy, however, I revert to dash-and-run listing: no piece of paper or writing utensil is safe. I have lists on the counter, lists on my desk, lists in the car and one big list clipped to the front of my grade book. School lists form on the front-of-grade-book sheet, and miscellaneous lists made up of things I remember on the run form on notepads in my car, scrap paper, and the backs of receipts. Somehow, when I need lists the most, I fall into the most inefficient pattern of list-making possible.
Why on earth would anyone do this?
- Lack of time: As time to do things shrinks, my fear of forgetting things grows. In my rush to get from Point A to Point B, I grab anything handy to write down the things that pop into my mind before they get away from me.
- Fear of the big list: I once watched a colleague create a list that spanned several pages of a legal pad. I felt panic-stricken for her and vowed never to create a list that long. Multiple small lists may be inefficient, but they're less terrifying.
- Where is the big list anyway? Again, the dash from Point A to Point B and points beyond plays a role. If my master list for the day is at home on my desk, it's inaccessible when I'm not home. Writing things down somewhere quickly trumps writing things down in an assigned space. Not writing them down isn't even an option.
Writing things down is good. Scattering lists like bread crumbs is not.
I know what works for me (that's why I buy that notepad-style page-a-day calendar every year), but time management is no different from stuff management. When we're overwhelmed, we sometimes forget to stick to the plan. When we're really overwhelmed, we sometimes forget there is a plan.
The solution? Keep it simple. The fewer the lists, the better, but if, like me, you're overwhelmed by one big, long, master list, organize your lists by topic (to do, to buy, to call), by location (home, work, car/errands) or by day of the week. By all means, keep notepads in a variety of places to catch those stray thoughts, but tape, staple, clip or otherwise attach the wayward notes to the main list so you're not wasting time and energy looking for the right list.
Meanwhile, I hope you have many opportunities to enjoy my favorite part of list-making....
Checking things off.
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| A plethora of planners, ready & waiting. |
Now: I'm happy to say that my days of scattering lists like bread crumbs are (mostly) behind me. I found a planner (undated) I love so much that I've stocked up, acquiring copies on my own and adding them to birthday and Christmas lists.
Why do l love this planner so much? Well, there are myriad reasons, but one of the biggest ones is that, with a little bit of practice, I've learned to make it List Central. While I still jot things down on the go, those on-the-fly notations get added to the list in my planner at my earliest opportunity. From there, the to-dos get prioritized and assigned a day -- or a tentative day, anyway -- helping me to feel organized even when my lists are long enough to give me pause.
Sometimes, it takes (a long) time to find the right tool. But, to paraphrase an old song, Once you have found it, never let it go.
At least as long as it's still working.
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