Lists : For success, To measure Success and To repeat Success

Lists are so important. They already part of our life day and night. List of daily life chores, items, tasks, bills, receipts, photos, memories and everything. That gives us an idea what we are up to, where we need to go.

I would categories list into two categories. One is list of items to-do. Another is list of items which are done/accomplished/achieved. The list of items to-do shows us what need to achieved. It allows us to remain focused and stay aligned with the goals and objectives.

The list can start in morning with various simple tasks, get each task ticked off when complete, while items will be added depending on day's progress and then remaining tasks from the list will formulate the part of next day's list. And while looking back through the time and sighting those marked lists, it will give the sense of completion, progress and accomplishment at personal level and at team level too.

Each list may have some tasks which we do not like to do et all but needs to be done. Some tasks, we like to repeat endlessly but does not fits into the life and the concept of society. And sometimes the list has tasks which are important and which we like to do. Lists are either containing one time tasks like getting married or repetitive tasks like going to office/school everyday. The lists keep running and moving forward.

The lists can be prepared on paper, online on Internet, offline on napkins or might be inside our own mind. The place does not matter as long as the lists are followed to the end, completed tasks are marked and remaining & additional items are carried forward.

I have noticed the list gives senses of having in control of what need to be done in this world where the consistent thing is the change. It allows us to look forward for sensing what need to be done in future. The completed list gives us much needed feeling of accomplishment and energy to rise for the occasion for the tasks on the list in hand.

The list for shopping keeps the needs and the wishes pretty separate. It allows to achieve the budget. It allows to bring the items which are required and are urgent.

The list for daily tasks gives the glimpse of the day ahead. Each task then can be broken into small sub lists and can be executed one after another. Or the most difficult but important task could be performed earlier while leaving the smaller task for later part of the list. This reminds me a story.

One day a father approached his family. He had a glass jar, some stones and lots of sand. He asked his family to fill in the jar with all those items. Those who filled in the sand could not get stones in. While bigger stones took almost all the space. The father shown a trick. He broke the bigger stone and pushed the smaller stone pieces down in the glass jar. Then poured sand and then remaining stones. Voila, the jar been filled and nothing remained outside. :D)

Another observation, when there is a project... anything from cleaning house to achieving certain highly sought after deliverable with certain deadline, instead of breaking it in small task list and execute it at a time, mostly tendency is to wait till last moment and try to do that in one big bite. Well, not always this leads to success.

We need lists for success, to measure success and to repeat success. Isn't that your observation ? Can you tell if list make any difference ? How you list the items/tasks?

Cheers...