My Fondness of Lists

I love lists! I am totally crazy for them. I have posted notes everywhere. They remind me to do the things I don't want to do. They coerce me into putting a smile on my face, meetings I must go to, and contacts that I better communicate with. I am a dysfunctional one when it comes to organization. I find comfort from pads of paper with doodles on them, brainstormed ideas and printed notices of upcoming events. Would I be lonely if I removed all the traces of "signage" from my desk? I think I would feel bored and uninspired. I wish I could lock all those thoughts away in my head. The sad thing is my internal filing system only wants to retain certain information. What is up with that, anyway? So, I continue to jot down the tidbits I find interesting, to refer to later.

Why do we need to write lists? For me it's a way of saying what I have done, such as my food journal, or a work report. What I want to do, lose __ pounds, go to Yellowstone, or write that novel. Of course, there are also things that have to be done, like take out the garbage, groceries to buy, and picking up that room (I love writing these for my son and husband!). There is a satisfaction to actually completing what you set out to do. Seriously, how great is it to check off something from your personal inventory?

The funny thing is I remember as a child how much I hated lists. Maybe the loathing was because it wasn't my own choice. Teachers listed what they expected of me and assignments often took this form also. Yes, I had the famous "chore list", when I got home from school. Thank you Mom, you taught me the power of planning. I acknowledge now that it is a powerful tool! "Before goofing off, you have some things to complete". Talk about a lesson in priorities!

The more interests I take on, the worse it gets. I guess I have a tendency to bounce. Those little reminders help me to focus on tasks. They also keep me from going off on "rabbit trails" when I get lost in my own little world. Ok, some of my reminders are "favorite" items on my computer desktop, so I can refer to them on a whim. I'm not killing as many trees as you think! I just have a bit more clutter, I suppose!