Do you write lists?
I know a lot of bloggers blog their ‘to do’ lists. There is even a blog where you can submit your handwritten to do list. Why? I am not sure, but there is, and it is strangely compelling reading. Apparently your ‘to do list’ can reveal a lot about you, though I am yet to totally unlock that secret.
I wonder what my ‘to do’ lists would reveal about me?
I am not an obsessive list maker, in fact I rarely wrote a list until about a year a go. I guess it was then that my brain finally gave up the ghost (or should that be goat?) while waiting for child number three to be born (third child, second birth, and the first pregnancy was only short so my brain didn’t totally go until the second time around.) With two small children and a brain like a sieve I suddenly needed to write stuff down so I didn’t forget it, though I kept forgetting to read the list so I forgot it anyway.
Since then I’ve perfected my own personal list style. I have a ‘book of stuff’ – it is partly a book of to do lists, partly a book of things I need to remember and partly a way to get stuff out of my head. I tend to write stuff at the end of the day, when I am in bed, things that I need to remember for the next day or the rest of the week or whenever.
I also, ahem, have to admit to writing things on my list after I have done them. Sometimes I sit down at the end of the day to look at what I have written for the week and to cross off things I have done.. and often I can’t really cross many things off, sometimes I haven’t done anything that I listed. Then I admit I do tend to add a few things that I have done. It’s not so much so that it looks like I have done something (anything), but more so I can get the day straight in my head a little.. decompress as it were.
You can get software that lets you write your lists on the computer, online even! Techcrunch reviews a few here but as much as I am in love with my computer I need to hand write my lists. I think it has perhaps got to do with my reason for writing lists – which is predominantly to ‘get stuff out of my head and organised somewhat’ so the physicality of actually writing that stuff down, of being able to draw things and doodle things is very helpful.
Maybe I am not so much a ‘to do’ list writer, more of a list writer in general. I need to sort out my head so I write lists of things I need to remember, things I need to do, things I’d like to do, things I have done…..
I could however, do with a decent PC reminder system, for dates and notes and things like that. Something that beeped at me or flashed at me when I needed to remember that my mother-in-laws birthday is coming up or that it is library day at kinder, that sort of thing. I know outlook does that but I don’t find that particularly user friendly – my days are not divided into hourly segments, I don’t know what exact time I need to remember to buy bread I just know I need to remember. I guess I find it a little too business for me – I want something more family friendly and cuter! Recommendations anyone?
I am still refining the use of the list in my life, which sounds so anal, but if you saw how messy my ‘stuff book’ was you’d realise that the way I do it is anything but anal, if only it was a little bit anal. Maybe I should take a photo and show you… oh bugger I can’t because I am running late to pick up the girls and need to find the list of things we need to take to our RCH appointment that I wrote last night and haven’t checked till now… arrghh… see anything but anal!
Kelsey Smith says
I love lists! So much in fact number one on everylist says to make a list just so i can check it off. Thats a little weird isnt it? lol
Stitch Sista says
I share your pain. In fact I was just thinking today it’s time for a new lists and maybe I’d blog it LOL. I used to be good at lists…writing them, and getting them crossed off. Not anymore. I buy a diary every year and use it religiously for about a month and then go several months without writing a thing.
It drives me batty. I guess in the end what needs to get done gets done. But I would love to feel more on top of things and lists can help with that.
(Oh and I too must handwrite lists…I just must!)
Lizzie says
Have you tried Crawler Notes? It’s a virtual ‘post its’ type whatsit that is handy if you JUST want to see things up on your screen with none of the scheduling etc Outlook gives you. You can do some minor editing of the notes themselves, change font (few diff types), bold, size, italics etc and you can choose the colour for each note.
http://www.crawler.com/products/desktop-notes.aspx
If you do decide to grab it, don’t download it from there (designer’s own site) but rather somewhere like here:
http://www.download.com/Crawler-Notes/3000-2351_4-10649792.html?tag=dl.1&cdlPid=10740104
There’s a little more security, tested spyware free etc. I think from memory my first attempt at installing it (via the Crawler site) gave me a prompt to sign up for ‘their’ email (eg, .crawler.net or whatever it was). You don’t need to do that. You can take a tour on their site somewhere as well, read up on the features. Here’s an example of what my desktop looks like with it (scroll down for pic and mini-review of sorts):
http://lizzieshome.com/2008/01/28/lizzies-link-love-january-29/
Now, as part of the install I did get a Crawler toolbar which might render it off limits for you. It just fits underneath my usual address bar/navigation menu in Internet Explorer and I never even notice it anymore. From this toolbar you can quickly open up a new ‘sticky’ which you can set to pop up OVER your opened browswer window, which is handy if you’re lazy like me and don’t want to minimise the browser window first, LOL. You can also Exit the program until you’re next startup if all those coloured squares are bothering you on the desktop or you can ‘hide all notes’. Because, like you, I’m a little OCD, LOL, I had all mine set to different colours for different things. They’re great for reminders for blogging, articles you want to write, etc. AND you can resize the notes either manually or set them to ‘auto fit to text’ in the Settings section (making them whatever size your writing is). I have never had any problems with spyware or adware and I’ve had it now for four months or so.
One thing you need to consider though (I know, this is long…sorry!) is in regards to SpyBot programs…do you run those? I do every few weeks as a sort of ‘clean out’. It can, I think from memory, pop up in the ‘detected threats’ list, but then again, so does my StatCOunter whatsit from my blog, and I know that’s safe, so… in the spybot search thingamies (clearly, I know my way around a computer, got the lingo down pat and everything! LOL) you can check/uncheck boxes next to the detected threats before doing a bulk action like ‘fix’ or ‘delete’ or whatever…just make sure Crawler Notes is UNchecked.
And I think I just took the prize for Most Long Winded Response, LOL. And I just re-read it and noticed you like to make your lists by hand – me too, I write 99% of my lists in one of about twelve notebooks I have on the go. But those sticky notes have saved my behind from missing at least two extended family member’s birthdays in the last four months, LOL.
Cheers,
Lizzie
http://lizzieshome.com
http://whisperofgrace.blogspot.com/
Jayne says
I do write lists, but not obsessively. I write shopping lists and ‘to do’ lists, but I have to admit I honestly don’t get why people would blog them..and I certainly dont get why there’s blog dedicated to them! I would never blog mine, they are exceedingly dull. “Go to the post office, pay bills, study, finish job X, start job Y, wash undies..yada yada..zzzzz” LOL.
cellobella says
haha love the fact you write stuff on your list after you’ve done them.
I do that too!
Well, they obviously were meant to be there.
:)
Bettina says
I like lists. But I’m not obsessive about them.
I like to write what I need to get done for the day and cross it off to help feel like I’ve done stuff. I will add stuff on that I’ve done that wasn’t on my list and cross it off too lol
I like google calendar for online help in remembering dates. I’ve been using it for our brigade stuff and finding it quite good so am looking at doing one for my personal stuff.
mommy bee says
i dont’ know anything about online lists….
BUT
I have been known to add already-completed things to my to-do list, just so i can have the pleasure of crossing them off and feeling like I accomplished something.
Right now I have a two-page to-do list of all the stuff I need to get done this week before we ship out for our major summer trip. See you in july!! (you’ll want to take down my etsy mini this week too–because by this weekend I’ll be emptying it forwhile we’re gone) :)
PlanningQueen says
As you can probably tell from my blog I do love lists a whole lot! I do like to hand write them though, so they are portable. I might try Lizzie’s suggestion though it looks like it has potential!
agoodsort.com says
Oh yes i come from a family of list writers. I remember lyong in bed on a Saturday morning we caould hear my dad writing our job list and he would call out when it was done. I still write lists!!
Babyamore (Trish) says
i write lists and I love to cross things off …like you I rarely do !
I also write lists and add the things I have done to chuff myself up.
If you write eat chocolate at the top and you will always have one thing to cross off
I saw today actually a magnetic calendar you stick to your fridge for appointments it was $4.95 (or so on special )at Identity direct – starts anytime and lasts 13 months.
I am investigating a few GTD sites.