I am a type-A person. Some (like my daughter) might say A+. I have trouble just going with the flow. I like organization. And lists. I love my lists. I come from a long line of list makers. My aunt even had a master list of all of her lists. I’m not quite that bad, but close!
Why lists? Lists help me to stay organized and also relieve some anxiety. I can get it out of my brain and onto a piece of paper, or into my phone. That way I don’t forget anything and it becomes tangible. Lists also give me direction. I know where I’m going next with my projects or my tasks. They can also help keep me focused when jobs are big or complicated.
What’s the big deal? The big deal is in how the lists work. It’s more than simply writing down the jobs I need to do. The value lies in HOW it is written down. Let me explain. Lists work for me because I feel a sense of accomplishment every time I either erase, check off, or cross out an item on my list. Think of it as a reward for a job well done.
To give myself the maximum benefit, my lists are VERY detailed. This not only allows me to reward myself frequently, it breaks down tasks into smaller chunks so that I don’t feel so overwhelmed. Instead of just putting “clean house” on my list, I break it into the zones I have – kitchen, bathroom, etc. Then I look at each zone and put the tasks that need to be done in that zone on their own lines. Each time I complete one of the tasks, I get to cross it off. REWARD!
- Kitchen
- Empty dishwasher
- Load dishwasher
- Clean counters
- Sweep
- Mop
- Clean out fridge
- Living room
- Vacuum
- Dust
- Clean off side tables
This, in conjunction with my 20-minute timer, helps me stay on track and get lots of things done in a short amount of time. I alternate between two sets of tasks – cleaning and writing. This keeps me from getting frustrated with not getting any writing done, and not getting my house clean. I do both and both parts of my brain are happy!
I’ve even been known to add things to my list that I’ve already done, just so I can cross it off! I know, I know. I’m weird like that. It just makes me happy when I can look back at the list and see it all checked off.
At work, my teammate and I have a giant wipe-off calendar that has room on the side to write a list of things to do. It helps us not step on each other’s toes and it ensures that tasks don’t fall by the wayside. We fight over who gets to erase things when we finish! Sometimes I think that we share a brain. I’ll go to write a job on the board, only to find that she already did. There’s even a spot to put the day the task needs to be finished. There are times when the same thing will be listed in three different spots on that board. Talk about your type-A master list!
Do you enjoy lists? I’d love to hear how you stay sane in the comments below!