There are two types of people in this world: Those who make lists and those who think they do not need to.
I fall firmly into the first category. I love a good to-do list. In fact, I would be lost without one. I have too many things rattling around in my head, and I have learned the hard way that my brain is not nearly as reliable as I would like to think.
List-makers seem to have a system for everything. They prioritize, organize and tackle tasks one at a time. They get a strange sense of satisfaction from drawing a line through a completed task. Some even add something to their list after completing it just so they can cross it off. I am not saying I have done that, but I am not saying I have not.
Then there are the non-list-makers. They insist they can remember everything without writing it down. The rest of us know how that usually works out. They forget appointments, overlook projects and often ask, “What was I supposed to do today?”
I am convinced their brains are wired differently. Either that, or they simply have fewer things to remember. If that is the case, I would be happy to help them find a few more responsibilities.
For decades, my system was a yellow legal pad. One page covered an entire week, divided into six columns: Monday through Friday and one labeled “Other.” I used a straight edge to draw the lines and spent a few minutes every Friday afternoon or Saturday morning filling in the next week’s assignments. It was simple, inexpensive and effective. Work projects, household chores, errands and everything in between had a place. If it needed to get done, it went on the pad. If it was not on the pad, there was a pretty good chance it was not getting done.
A few years ago, I upgraded to one of those electronic tablets. I can now duplicate lists, rename them and reuse templates for recurring projects. It saves time and eliminates the need to keep buying legal pads. I realize this sounds like a commercial, but I promise nobody is paying me to say it.
At Big Green Umbrella Media, we work with about 50 freelance writers and photographers. Some consistently submit their work ahead of deadline. Others need an occasional reminder. And then there are those who seem to believe deadlines are merely friendly suggestions. I suspect the first group has a to-do list. I suspect the last group has a Post-it note somewhere that they cannot find.
Speaking of Post-it notes, I know people who cover their desks, computers and walls with them. They swear by the system. I look at it and wonder how they remember which note is the reminder and which one is the thing they were supposed to remember.
Maybe there really are two types of people. I will keep making lists, checking boxes and crossing things off. And if you are a non-list-maker, I have one more thing for you to do. Put it on your list. Or at least try to remember it.
Have a fantastic Friday and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital newsletter
shane@gctimesnews.com
641-332-2707