Making a List and Checking It Twice

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“Make sure to include yourself in the list of things you need to take care of this week.” – unknown

During this last week when the kids had a week off from school, six-year-old Mr. D repeatedly asked at bedtime what we were doing the next day. I discovered that he felt much more grounded when we made a list. It worked even better when he wrote it himself.

I’m a list person so I totally relate to D’s love of lists.

  • Lists help me prioritize what I need to do first.
  • There’s nothing like a list to keep me going when my motivation flags.
  • Writing a list reminds me of James Clear’s adage, “You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
  • I get a great deal of satisfaction when I cross an item off my list.
  • When I don’t get something do, it prompts me to consider whether it’s simply that I don’t have the time or I have simple underlying resistance that I need to address.

Nothing like a list to bring things into focus. Mr. D included “Chillax” on his list. It’s a good reminder to prioritize downtime even on days when the list is long.

(featured photo from Pexels and quote from Enlightened Mind 622 – Make Sure to Include Yourself)

You can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynneleon/ and Instagram @wynneleon

I host the How to Share podcast, a podcast celebrates the art of teaching, learning, giving, and growing.

I also co-host the Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast, an author, creator and storytelling podcast with the amazing Vicki Atkinson.

67 thoughts on “Making a List and Checking It Twice”

  4. Making lists is a great sign of a well organized person. Kudos to instilling this skill in Mr D! And I’m with you on the lists. They keep me grounded and focused too. Hope you all enjoy the first week of December ahead!

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  7. This little post packs a punch! I’ve always loved lists and structure, and building a plan on unstructured plan (i.e., no school, no work) really can be so grounding. I also love James Clear’s adage and think about it almost daily. So much goodness here, Wynne. Thank you!

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  8. interesting, I made a list last night. because I realized that I had been so busy helping others, something I love doing, that I had been neglecting doing things for myself, which I also love doing, so I made of list of things to do today, beginning with things to do for myself that I had been putting off.

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  9. “When I don’t get something done, it prompts me to consider whether it’s simply that I don’t have the time or I have simple underlying resistance that I need to address.” . . .

    It’s inevitably my “underlying resistance” not time that deprioritizes the thing on my ‘To Do’ list that needs to be done.

    Thanks for the uncomfortable, convicting reminder Wynne 😔

    Keep Looking Up ^ … His Best is Yet to Come!

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  12. I’m the Queen of list making! Without a list I have a panic attack. My daughter followed in my footsteps. I once found one of her lists when she was about 9 or ten. It was so cute and went something like this:

    1. Wake up
    2. get out of bed
    3. Go to the window and see what the weather is
    4. Get dressed

    It makes sense to know what the weather is like before getting dressed. I understand Mr D’s wanting to know what he’ll be doing the next day. I do too.

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  16. I love to-do lists. Mapping out the day is so helpful. I knew people who created different lists for work and home, but that never worked for me. I’ve always been a one list guy. I need to make sure I include some “chillax” time on mine.

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  17. I like how Mr. D likes to make lists to feel grounded. I need to do that too, the act of writing something down helps me to feel more in control of my day. That you recognized his need and are helping him manage it is really great!

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      1. A wise parent recognizes their kid’s needs! Hope your week is amazing too!

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  19. I’m with Mr. D as well, Wynne. I am hyper-organized and wouldn’t be able to function without my phone calendar, which houses all of my plans, events, tasks, etc. for the days ahead. That being said, the best laid plans often go awry, so that calendar becomes even more valuable as I push out or pull in things to do. I love being organized…and being flexible in maintaining that ideal.

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    1. Such a good point about being organized — and flexible, Bruce. I was listening to a fascinating professor (Angus Fletcher) who made the point that the planning is valuable regardless of whether we disregard it the moment our feet hit the floor. It’s all about the envisioning! Thanks for the great comment!

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  20. As a born procrastinator, it took me years to develop the list method. When I can’t sleep, it’s often because I can’t take my mind off of something I need to do. Rather than fixate on it, I get up, write it down, and then permit myself not to think about it until the next day. I often like to start the day by taking one of my least desirable tasks, which immediately makes me feel better after I’ve accomplished it.

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  24. Chillax. I love that Mr. D. is thinking that way, Wynne.

    I start every day with a list. Even though I’m not working full time any more, it helps me focus and keep moving forward on my goals. And some days, I’ll write something like “finish reading my book” on the list just so I can have the satisfaction of checking it off the list. I think that’s my equivalent of “chillax”. 😂

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  25. It sounds like there is large group of us list-lovers. They are so grounding, keeping us focused on things we should pay attention to. I love that Mr. D. put chillax on his list, he’s obviously very in tune with the idea that we need to put ourselves on the list.

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  26. I love that quote from Clear-it’s so true! As a list person myself, I also have a tendency to question whether the unfinished items were really that important to begin with- usually the answer is no; the priority stuff seems to get done.

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  27. I make lists too, I suppose, but they’re all mental as opposed to the writing-it-down kind. Like, I know what we’re doing this weekend, but haven’t taken pen to paper (or finger to phone) and plotted it all out step-by-step.

    One thing I know for sure? “Chillax” is on there too!

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