Is it normal to write lists every day?

[Collagenmeeverywhere]

On my notes on my phone, I have daily things needed to be done, generally a week or two in advance. Things are written for each day, food shopping, call insurance, ballet with Dd etc. I then have a list for the food shop and meals made that week. Is this normal, do you do this or is it over the top? I would like to just be list free I think, but I just can’t.
I’m a teacher (not full time or a class teacher anymore) but spent so many years of my life with daily/monthly/termly plans, that I think it just became part of me.
It just feels quite boring to be so structured, is it uptight? Sometimes I even find myself putting ‘Wash hair’ on the list, that’s weird right? 😬

I have a yellow notepad.
Today it said

Breakfast 😂😂
Write shopping list/menu
Recycling
book MOT with Dave
Take shorter lunch and finish at 3.45
Aldi
Pizza/coleslaw for tea.
Has the Amazonian man delivered the brush - track him
Ask MIL about Sunday dinner.

I even tick them when done.

This was mine! Re-heel witchy boots!

Lists stress me out. A bit of organised chaos is the only bit of excitement in my life right now 😂

I have ADHD and have always struggled with lists but I'm getting into using them more now I'm on medication.

I find it really helpful, but I'm getting a bit mixed up with my lists currently, I never know what to put on them. So I currently just have a big master list with everything that I have a vague thought "oh I should do that" it immediately goes into the list. I don't really like having a daily list as I just tend to focus on doing one thing at a time. Maybe I should though.

Then there's recurring tasks like washing hair, filling up the dishwasher, exercising etc which I want to do regularly but can't really go on the list because even if I tick them off they need to be done again. So those are like a different set of lists in another column, so I can quickly glance at them and check how recently I've done it and whether it needs to be done again.

There's a "backburner" list for things that start off on the master idea dump list but get taken off because I think yes although I do want to do that, I don't need to focus on it right now.

When the master list gets a bit long I start to put urgent markers or deadlines on certain items on it.

But then there are tasks or goals which have multiple steps, so far I've been just putting the next step that I need to do on my list and replacing it once it's done with the next step. But I feel like I should probably write down the entire sequence of those somewhere so that I have it sorted out somewhere in order that I don't forget it. Maybe put any rough deadlines on that one too.

Does anyone have any suggestions/input for me?

Every morning with my first coffee i write a list for the day. Things I need to do, what's for dinner and whats needed from the shop that day. Would be lost without my lists

I do this on my phone in my notebook ie pen and paper on my weekly planner in my diary and on my calendar!!!

Sounds OTT to me (you need to put "wash hair" on a list?!!) but if it works for you, embrace it.

I disagree - whatever works for you works for you x

Nothing's better than ticking items off a list! Sometimes I add things to my list that weren't on it that I've done, just so I can tick them off!

Whatever works for you, whatever makes you content and productive :).

I was like a lot of posters on the thread- loved a list, made me feel organised, and thought it helped keep me productive.
then my mental health declined and actually, the lists became an obsession- couldn’t leave the house without having multiple lists, panic attacks if I thought I’d lost a list etc.
i felt the lists were controlling me and seeing everything there made me feel overwhelmed.
I need to find a happy medium, along with the rest of my MH issues.

Hope so!

Lists give me mental freedom - I put things down so that I don't have to keep thinking about them. Or keep reminding myself that I need to buy x y or z...

I don't know or care if it's normal but I love my lists.
Sunday night I do my weekly list, carrying over things which aren't done, and adding new things: birthdays, appointments etc. as well as looking at my work google calendar. This is in an A5 hardback notebook.
Then each day I write on one of those paper blocks; food items I need, meetings, sport times, people I need to message etc.

I very much need to write things down and then cross them off.

In the evening I might also write a list of jobs; laundry, washing up, bins etc.
It frees my mind to listen to the radio or audio book.

Twitch 🤪

When I was on mat leave I used to make lists, even including small things (eat breakfast, have shower, sterilise bottles etc). Saves holding things in your brain and you get a sense of accomplishment as you tick through them !

So I don't find it weird at all.

i love a list

I am a list-maker. Lists are fine as long as they are not a procrastination tool - I once worked with someone who spent all day making lists about what he had to do, including at one point a list of lists, but never got anything done on any of them. At all. I got so frustrated I just started taking the lists off his desk and doing the stuff on them or nothing would ever have actually have been achieved. He had some sort of decision-fatigue of actually getting the anything started and was constantly stuck in the planning phase.

I have reminders on my mobile every day of the week -

Change bed, do shopping, see friends, babysit, go swimming, those kind of things. That's because my memory is pretty bad.

I need lists in my life. Combination of phone and pen & paper here

I like normal lists for things that need to be done in the day or week, but I find things like “wash hair” “eat breakfast” to be a bit like busy work. Do you really need a list to tell you that you will need a shower?

I have a morning routine that never varies - get up, make tea, take meds, eat breakfast, shower/hair/teeth, wash up breakfast things. And, similarly, a before bed routine. It's the between stuff that goes on my list. Having my routines & a list has really helped my mental health, although if I can't follow my routines (I have routines for different days too) or my list I can end up getting very anxious. I wonder sometimes if I am ND.

Completely normal. I thought everyone did it?

Normal for me, but I'm forgetful and get sidetracked easily, so I need lists to keep me on track.

Yes, I always have. Putting a job on a list is an excellent substitute for actually doing it.

You may need to give it up once you're in your 70s - I've seen people citing lists as evidence of dementia and allowing the elderly person to remain in a state of denial. (Ditto not getting around to getting dressed or brushing your hair till late morning - lots of perfectly normal behaviours are viewed quite differently when you're old.)

Im also a lister, if it’s not in the list it doesn’t get done/bought!

I have lists for things to add onto food shop list, meal ideas, cleaning jobs I need to do, appointments etc.
My most useful list is one for each family member (DP and DC) and when any of them indicate they would like to buy or do something, I add it to the list and it comes in useful for birthdays/Christmas/special occasions.

I have a terrible memory and dread to think how I’d cooe
without my lists!