My List Addiction

I admit it, I love a list. I don’t really care what the list is about and I take every small opportunity to turn a to-do item into a list. Whatever it is that I’m doing or need to do, have it’s own list to keep me on track. Also, I’m very aware that I can quickly forget what I want to do, or how I want to do it, so I have a go-to list for just about every task or fun thing even, that I want to get done.

I keep my lists in Notes on my phone, as I do my best thinking, and come up with my best ideas, when I’m out in the fresh air, on my walk. Using the phone means that I don’t need to remember to put that thing on my list when I get home. Of course, I would never remember to do that!

I use Notes also for those brain dumps that I have in the middle of the night, or when I wake up with a great idea that needs to be put down on paper. It goes into Notes, where it sometimes just comes to nothing and ends up being deleted, but just occasionally, it might lead to a brilliant idea.

Occasionally I do a purge of my lists, but it doesn’t take long for the lists to grow again

I started to think about lists when we were driving home from a lovely four day getaway to the beach, and I was tidying up my lists and deleting those that had become out of date. I was shocked when I saw how many lists were there, some out dated and others still being used.

Following are the lists that I have in my phone today:

Shopping - Usually at the top of the list, as I constantly add to it during the day.

Meals - Each Sunday, I write up a list of main meals for the following week. My partner and I eat different food, meaning there are two different meals to prepare each night, so I need to have a plan. It’s not as onerous as it sounds.

Goals - It’s only recently that I’ve started to set goals again. For years, I set goals religiously, but as work became a priority in my life, goals took a back seat. However, I’m back to goal setting again, and am about to set my goals until the end of the year.

Weekly Weigh In - This list is a bit like the goals list, as it has been avoided for a while, but I’m back to the weekly weigh ins, now that there are only 12 weeks until Christmas. Sorry to mention that!

Weekend - If I think of something that I’d like to do, or a place that I’d like to visit, it goes on this list.

Blog - There is a separate list for each blog, and this is where I put ideas for future posts, as they come to me, when I’m out and about.

Exercise - This isn’t really a to-do list but more of a ‘could-do’ list. I change my gym and general exercise program around fairly often, and this is where I put my new program ideas when they come to mind.

Bunnings - There is always a Bunnings list, both for the garden and for those repairs that are needed indoors.

Book list - This is where I record the books that I’d like to read, those books that friends suggest, both in person and online. I do have my ‘want to read’ list on Goodreads, but this list works better for me, as I can make a note of who recommended a particular book. My books on this list are also on my Goodreads list.

52 Week Book Challenge - Here, I record books that fit certain prompts for the challenge, that are a bit trickly, and that seem come to me out of nowhere at times.

AtoZ Challenge No 1 - I’ve done this challenge on one of my blogs, every year since 2015. This Note is where I record ideas and topics, during the year, Some years, I come back and choose something from this list, and other years, something completely different comes to mind at the last minute.

AtoZ Challenge No.2 - Different to the No.1 list, this is the list I use after I have decided on a topic for the next challenge. I then list my A-Z ideas as they come to me. There are times that an alphabet prompt is difficult and comes to me when I’m not thinking of it.

TV - I watch very little TV, as I don’t ever seem to have the time, but I do watch occasionally in the early hours of the morning when I can’t sleep. On this list, I write down TV, Netflix and Britbox programs that friends suggest that I watch.

Christmas - This is my list of everything to do with the silly season: the food, meals, places to go, gift ideas. I’m not a fan of Christmas at all these days, and I don’t go overboard with it, but the list helps me to not have to give it much thought.

Holidays - If we are going away for a short or long trip, there is always a packing list

So, as you can see, I do love a list, and I’m a bit pedantic about my lists, but to me it seems to be the only way to get all those things done. You will notice that there is a bit of a theme with my notes. My best ideas, in any area of my life, seem to come to me when I’m not thinking at all about them. This is why I love having my lists on my phone in Notes.

This post is linked to the Wednesday Words & Whimsy linkup hosted by Min from Write of the Middle. I’m more than happy to be on Min’s Team - #TeamWWWhimsy