Writing Lists

How often do you wake up in a state of overwhelm? I noticed this in my thoughts this morning as I checked my phone: Right, I have to cancel that subscription. Let me get out of bed first. I went to the sink to brush my teeth. I should clean my bathroom today. I picked out my clothes and hopped in the shower. I need to finish that homework assignment today. I need to cook for the week. I need to study for that test on Tuesday. More thoughts like these swirled through my head, clamoring for my attention, one after the other. I want to finish that sewing project. I have to keep up my Spanish streak. I need to go grocery shopping. I need to read for my book club. STOP!

I couldn't take it anymore. I had to do something about this. I started working on one task, only to become distracted halfway through by another. Then I started the next, only to become distracted halfway through by another. Then another. Then another. Then—STOP!

This vicious cycle was no more productive than doing nothing at all with my swarming thoughts. I did not have to finish my sewing project this weekend. I'd live if I had to wait one more day to steam my clothes. The problem is, my thoughts never quiet down until the tasks get done—or at least, until I acknowledge them. I needed to make a list.

I pulled out a pen and notebook and put them on my desk. I continued going about my activities. Then halfway through—THOUGHT!

I jotted it down. I could do that task later, sometime after I finished the first one. Every internal interruption became an external bullet point on notebook paper. As the list grew, my mind began to quiet. I finally started crossing tasks off the list, because I could finally focus on one long enough to finish it. Lather, rinse, repeat. It seemed my thoughts were anxious about being forgotten, and they were lashing out with all that noise. All they were asking for was to eventually get some attention. It didn't all have to be right now. They had a lot more patience than I gave them credit for. But who wants to be forgotten? Certainly not my radiology homework.

Writing lists is a productivity strategy that can apply to anyone. I know I'm not the only human being on this planet who struggles with taking on too many projects with too little time to complete them. Sure, I could save myself some time by getting take-out for dinner every night, but that's not the way I want to live. Cooking for oneself is less expensive and much healthier. I don't have to sew these handkerchiefs; I could buy some instead. But it is important to me to use first what I already have, and I experience a strong sense of pride from making things with my own two hands. What to do?

Lists are my answer. They allow my mind to run wild with new projects I can try without hampering my ability to do necessary chores. They allow me to hold my mind under a magnifying glass so that I can prioritize what is actually important right now, without my other thoughts getting jealous or fearful that they'll never get their turn in the spotlight. They will. And sometimes the spotlight is just the act of writing them down—every once in a while, I'll cross off items from my list because I have simply lost interest. Once a thought has made it onto my list, it's only a matter of time before it gets its chance to shine.