Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Allie Pleiter on Lists


January is a list month.  There are “Best of” lists, resolution lists and lists of things we want to accomplish in the new year.  If you’re like me, you make a list of what you want to get accomplished every day.  I admit, I’m a compulsive list-maker. I find that lists keep me calm and focused, especially when I’m stressed.

Today I’ll share my favorite strategy for moving a list on paper to action in the real world:

NUMBER YOUR LIST

Sounds simple, doesn’t it?  Most of life’s more powerful truths are simple, I’ve found.  Ordering your tasks—or your priorities or whatever comprises your list—does two important things:

it forces you to think about what’s most important, most urgent, or must come first to make other items on your list possible
It frees up your attention to focus on one thing at a time and then smoothly transfers your attention to the next thing when the first is accomplished

Did you see that?  I made a little list, right there in front of you.  It’s that simple.  So the next time you have a whopping work load staring you down—and who doesn’t these days???—take a moment to write down your tasks and order them in a numbered list.  This simple process can yield big results in your peace and productivity.  And that’s a great way to start a year, don’t you think?


What about you?  Do you make lists?  Do you number them?  Share your experiences.

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