Cup of Inspiration

It’s Monday, October 30^th, the beginning of another work week. As we enjoy our morning coffee and turn on our computers to get started for the day, it can be difficult to know where to begin. There’s an app for that, or even a simple notebook and pencil. Today we celebrate National Checklist Day.

In today’s world, it can seem like there are a hundred different things that all need to be done. There are the reports that need to be done by certain deadlines. There are the meetings along with the follow-up items afterwards. There are those stats that you promised your boss you would pull by the end of the week. Don’t forget the cake you have to order for your coworker’s retirement party. That is just for your work life.

For your personal life, there are the bills you need to review, the car insurance you must renew, and grocery shopping you need to complete for the party on Saturday. You still need to pick up that outfit from the alterations place and drop off that book you borrowed last week.

There are simply not enough hours in a day. Help!

This is where your friendly checklist comes in. Checklists help us put down on paper (or screen, depending on your preferred medium) what all needs to be done, and by what day and time. These lists turn a monster of never-ending to-do items into a manageable grouping of things to focus on for the day.

Monday’s checklist will hold those items you must complete by the end of the day. Tuesday’s checklist will do the same, and so goes for the rest of the week. Checklists help you not fret about what’s to be worked on for Friday when it’s only Tuesday. They help you focus on what’s important when it’s important. They also help you to remember. A well-managed list will prevent you from remembering on Wednesday that you were supposed to drop off a bill payment on Monday.

Checklists can take different forms. I personally like using my Franklin planner. I have been working on using Microsoft’s To Do application more often, but there’s something about being able to write something down that seems to work best for me. You might work better using something on your phone. You may even work best with a simple blank sheet of paper and a pencil. Whatever the chosen medium, they all work the same at the end of the day. They all give you the satisfaction of crossing off an item once it’s complete. A list will allow you to see at the end of the day everything that you have accomplished for the day and feel confident that nothing is falling through the cracks.

What is your favorite way of maintaining a checklist? Do you prefer paper and pen, or do you like an electronic list on your phone? Perhaps you like to use a mixture of mediums, one for work and one for personal? Today, we acknowledge the National Checklist Day, remembering how important this tool can be in managing our lives.