The Art of the List (Part 1)
Keeping it Short and Sweet
Many of us bite off more than we can chew. But to keep a healthy balance in life consider doing less. We don’t need to do it all, we just want to make a little progress.
I write two very short lists each morning – three things I want to do for myself (i.e., pilates, pay bills, write a poem) and three things that I want to get done for work (i.e., balance a budget, write an abstract, check in with a colleague). Often, I do more than these three things and sometimes I am done with my list by 10 am, but the list keeps me focused amidst the hundreds other things I do during the day.
Short Lists
Why three things and not ten or twenty? I think keeping this daily list short is key. Three seems to be a number I almost always complete, no matter how many meetings or phone calls I have. This gives me a sense of accomplishment and the physical act of crossing things off a list is an important part of the ritual.
There is also something magic about the number three. Three act plays, three strikes and you’re out, Goldilocks and the Three Bears. In creative writing, we are often told that three is a magic number for lists. Snap, Crackle, Pop. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Ready, Set, Go. Three is the smallest number that can create a pattern.
Three is also an important number in design theory. I used “The Rule of Three” to help kids learn about photography and friendship in my book, A Touch of Blue.
Long Lists
I have more than three things to do during the week, month, and year, so I also keep a running list. For me this is on a clipboard hanging near my treadmill desk. Others keep a wire-bound notebook. This list contains all those things at work that I can’t forget to do – along with due dates. I can quickly scan this longer list as I am planning each morning to see what tasks I should move to my Daily Three list—especially those tasks that move me closer to my goals.
This list also serves as a brain dump. Getting things out of my head and onto the list helps keep me focused on my current task and not bouncing around in the back of my brain trying to distract me.
I rewrite the list when it gets messy—for me that’s about every two weeks. But before I rewrite, I think about those items I didn’t get to. Are they really necessary? Do they align with my priorities? Sometimes the answer is no and then I ask myself if I really need that item on the list. Can someone else do it? What would happen if it didn’t get done? Should I just do it quick before I rewrite the list? If it takes less than about 10 minutes, this is often what I choose to do.
Don’t Try and Do It All
Of course, I work from a desk at home and always have my list handy. This approach might not work for people who are on the go. But writing by hand makes me think more about what I put on my list. I focus on the important things. And sticking to a daily task list that is limited to three, let’s my brain know that this is doable. I don’t have to do it all, I just have to make a little progress. So, try to take a step back, think about your goals, and write.
For more on list writing, check out Paula Rizzo’s Listful Living or just wait until next time for Part 2 of “The Art of the List.”