The Downside of Lists
Do you make lists to help you remember tasks, shopping, phone numbers and other information? Are they to serve as daily reminders? Do you have one very long list, or multiple lists on various scraps of paper or in multiple notebooks?
One person I know has at least nine notebooks, countless pieces of paper, and notes on the back of newspapers and fliers. Many of the lists contain duplicate or even triplicate information!
Sadly, he can rarely find the information he’s looking for, has to research again and maybe start another list.
So, what’s the answer?
For my friend, the first step is consolidation. Once all the lists are in one place, he’ll work on the habit of containment. That will take some time; as he’s committed to the process, though, I’m hopeful.
The next question is, what is each list for?
For the standard to-do list, I suggest two lists: one weekly, one daily, and with the same categories. As you cross things off your daily list, or move them to a different day, you can review your weekly next and decide what would best fit into the space left by a “done!”
If your to-do list has a sub-list – such as what to get once you are at the grocery store – there are two basic options.
- Keep it on the same page so you don’t lose it.
- Keep it on a different page dedicated to the sub-type in the same notebook so that it doesn’t confuse your primary list.
For other types of lists, consolidation is key. For general information lists (books to read, movies to see, names of distant relatives, etc.) using separate sections of the same notebook for different categories can prevent confusion. Special projects may deserve a separate notebook with a section dedicated to lists for the project.
The point is this: if you went to the effort to write the information down, go to the effort of keeping track of it. Keeping track is simpler by using a system of defined steps that WORKS FOR YOU. If paper works for you, great. If you prefer lists in your phone, that’s great too!