I’m a list lover. Maybe addict would be a better term. My husband has nicknamed me the Queen of Lists. He often teases me about all the lists I have put together over the years, challenging me on whether I can remember them all.
Why I love lists. How I store my lists. My favourite lists.
What is it I love about lists?
Lists save me time.
I don’t have to rely on my memory and waste time remembering what things, I can focus on the execution. Even if you have a good memory, which I used to have, why would you clutter your brain with information you could jot down somewhere, forget about, and retrieve when needed?
Lists make me more efficient.
I save the lists I use on a regular basis so that I don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time I need them.
Lists give me peace of mind.
Have you noticed that you may have trouble falling asleep at night or may wake up in the middle of the night because you are trying to remember what it is you need to do the next day, or which kid you have forgotten to invite to your son’s birthday party?
My lists’ repository
I have been using Evernote as my lists repository since July 2012. It is synchronised across my phone and computer, so my lists are easily accessible, and I can update them in real time as I often find myself thinking about something to add to my lists when I am on the go.
My lists (named Notes in Evernote) are sorted into broad categories (named Notebooks in Evernote) including action, health, personal development, reference, travel, and work.
Evernote allows you to create a table of contents with all your notes and a link to each of them, so you don’t need to remember all the notes you have. Also, your notes can be shared with someone else. I also like the fact you can tick boxes along the way so that you know what you have left to do.
My 23 favourite lists that keep me organised:
ACTION:
- To-do list – typically those items will make their way into my schedule at some stage so that they get a higher chance of being done, but I like to first jot them down here
- Shopping/wish list – sorted by category: food, household items, stationery, clothes, shoes & accessories, toiletries & cosmetics, medicine/supplements, etc.
- List of housekeeping chores – weekly, monthly, and annually
- List of books to read
HEALTH & WELL-BEING:
- List of medicines I respond well to, based on ailments, and those I’m allergic to
- List of doctors/specialists I have heard good things about
- List of techniques that make me feel better when I feel anxious
- List of things that make me happy so that I can easily add them to my schedule when I feel down
- List of sports and activities I would like to try
- Bucket list – things I would like to accomplish before I turn 55, 60, etc.
REFERENCE:
- List of restaurants I have visited with my own personal rating (on a scale of 1 to 5) and those I want to visit
- List of specifications for items such as mattress and pillow size, dining table size, printer model, cosmetics and make-up, my own measurements, etc. so I won’t buy the wrong thing
- Gift lists – list of gifts people have mentioned, and gifts I would like to receive
- List of people I send New Year wishes to
- List of criteria for apartments for when we move
- Moving checklist – a list of things to do before a move
TRAVEL:
- Packing list – sorted by category: apparel, toiletries, make-up, medicine, papers, electronics, entertainment, etc. This list is best developed when you travel as you experience first-hand what you typically need and use
- Pre-travel checklist – a list of things I do before leaving for a trip
- List of places I have visited and those I want to visit
- List of sightseeing spots and activities to do in Singapore – for when I have guests
- List of parks and gardens I want to explore in Singapore – I’m toying with the idea of making a photo book for myself as a memory of Singapore’s nature
WORK:
- My wall of fame – inspired by Angela Esnouf’s Fabulous file where I list all the positive feedback and compliments I receive from clients, it is so uplifting to go through it when I feel down
- List of business/work ideas to explore
AD-HOC:
- List of skills my son needed to pick up before moving to university
- List of things to hand over to my son before he moved to university (files, accounts, passwords, etc.)
What about you? Do you rely on your memory or lists? Which lists can’t you do without? Share in the comments below.
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Thank you for this helpful article, Nathalie! Lists have never been part of my daily habits but I can see the value … saving time and mental worry especially. I particularly liked the health list, and I would add a section under health called yearly checkups or once every two years checkups etc. It’s way too easy, with forgetfulness and the busyness of the everyday, to let health checkups slip by.
I’m happy to read you found this article helpful, Alannah. And what a brilliant idea to add a list for medical checkups! I personally add them directly in my calendar, but a checklist is a good place too.
I enjoyed reading this Nathalie! I myself love making lists and only realized it a few years ago when I became a Self-Care advocate and am browsing for notebooks to use. Seeing lists I made years ago on several notebooks made me realize how helpful this habit had been for me to be who I am today. The way you organized your list inspired me to improve on mine as well. Thanks for sharing this!
I’m delighted to read that the article inspired you to improve on your list, Jeannine. Being organised is really a journey. The most important is to start somewhere, then to pay attention to what works and what doesn’t and to fine tune it overtime.