Lists

[Devlesko]

Are you a list writer?
What do you write them for and if you don't how do you manage instead?

Yep

Shopping list, obvs.
Job list.
Meal plan.
Things to write in my letters.
Pantry and freezer contents, sometimes.

Ooh, yes, I love a list.

I write jobs lists
I write shopping lists
I write lists of things I need to do at work, and also lists of things I ought to do, or would in the unlikely event I ever got time
Sometimes if having a 'blitz the house' day I write a list of all the jobs I want to achieve that day
List of tasks I have said I will do for others (volunteering, hobbies)
If doing something like planning a holiday, or buying something big (like a car) then I will start a list of possibles

I used to be but now I set reminders on my phone instead.

Now, I do this, but then when I don't finish the list, I'm deflated.
I recently heard that the most successful people don't write lists.
Maybe it depends on how they judge success.

@OwlTwitterings

I used to be but now I set reminders on my phone instead.

You must be very successful.

You must be very successful.

I wish!

I love a good list!

Shopping list
Christmas list (sorry )
Home jobs list
Volunteer role list to do

Quite often just one big list that I then re-write before starting so (for example) all computer based stuff together, any printing together, house tasks together, phone calls together, kind of thing.

Sometimes, though, I give up on the list because there's tooooo much on it, & wing it! Then go back and cross through what I have done.

I’ve recently realised I’ve stopped writing lists. For me I was just creating opportunities for me to fail. I am now making my time work for me rather than having to crowbar jobs into the time I have. Things are still getting done, I see the opportunity to eg declutter a drawer, put a wash on, ring the dentist and I do it.
Of course I still write shopping lists and vital to-dos. But up until recently I would have had a daily to do list, weekly to do, bucket list, places to visit, things my kids have to do in order for them to have a good childhood lists etc etc etc it was mental!

The point about being more successful and not writing lists is really interesting. I do find that it’s just setting myself up for failure.

Since I went on medication for my ADHD I don’t need to write these failure lists so much anymore. I am better at actually seeing what needs doing and just getting on with it.

What does help me when overwhelmed though is a “power of three” - rather than a long to do list that I’ve no hope of doing, I just decide the three next things I’ll do (on a really bad day the first one might be something as simple as getting breakfast or showering). It really helps when I have a lot to do and don’t know where to start.

@SingToTheSky completely agree, for me it has coincided with starting anxiety meds!

Yes I use notepad on my phone. Shoppings lists and to do lists

Gosh this is interesting, I have ADHD and also take citalopram.
I do get down when I don't complete the list, it just feels like failure.
It's hard to imagine how to manage without a list, maybe it's a case of setting reminders on phone.

We need to stop with the failure. The job list when you have a home and kids is never going to be completed so I decided if we were all fed ans alive by bedtime we'd done well.

This is going to make me sound psychotic but I'm genuinely pleased with myself for my lists,
I have a list of lists which I'm rather proud of, all in different categories and colour coded, of course I also have a list of list categories.
I probably have 30 lists going at any one time, I couldn't function without them.
I type them all up on my tablet which is synced with my phone so I can always check them, I also type them up again separately on an app which I can tick off and it keeps track of what's been done on which day for each category.

I do get down when I don't complete the list, it just feels like failure.

Well then a list isn't for you.
I'm a 'glass half full' sort of a person, so I gain satisfaction from 5 things crossed off a list, rather than feeling disappointed there are 5 items still on it.
Indeed, if I am having a blitz sort of a day, I sometimes break jobs down into smaller parts so I can cross off more things and feel even more chuffed with myself.
I see a list of jobs that need doing as a way of prioritising jobs, not as a 'challenge' to get them completed by X time or Y date. It is absolutely expected that I will have things on my list to start the next day.
Indeed, I often finish my working day with a list of priorities to start the next working day.