I am a to-do list person. Every day I have a list of tasks prepared for that day. For a long time I thought there was something wrong with me. Why am I not capable of just knowing what I have to do and doing it? So I checked it out and it seems that I am perfectly normal. Surprising I know!
More surprising, to-do lists can actually make us healthier and less stressed. Many mornings we wake up and are instantly overwhelmed by the number of things we need to accomplish that day. Creating a to-do list helps us gain control of our day. We know exactly what we need to get done. Not only that but there is also a sense of accomplishment when we get to cross something off the list.
When we are trying to process many tasks in our minds at once, there is a good possibility we may forget something. After all, our brains can only process a few things at a time. How many times have you forgotten to stop somewhere while out running errands only to realize once you got home and had to get back in the car and head out again? Or forgotten to pick up that one essential item at the grocery store? Lists help us remember.
To-do lists also help you prioritize your tasks. When we are overwhelmed we often get distracted from one task to another, trying to complete more than one task at a time. Focusing on one task at a time will help us complete them more quickly and accurately.
A to-do list will also de-stress your life. If you wake up with 10 things to do by noon, stress can begin to set in. How will you find the time to get everything done? What your brain doesn't process is that five of those items take only five minutes or less each. Once you have the tasks jotted down on paper you can see more clearly that the list isn't as daunting as you first thought.
Lists can be used in many situations. Not just for daily tasks but also for long term goals, future ambitions or your top 100 things to do before you die, or the "Bucket List." It's important to keep your lists separate. You don't want to "climb Mount Everest" and "pick up dry cleaning" on the same list because it isn't likely that you'll be doing both on the same day.
Make a list today and see how much more organized you feel. Make sure to include exercise on your daily lists!
Say it! Mean it! Do it!
