I’m a long-time To-do list enthusiast; I’ve been making lists my whole life – at work, at home – I keep them in archives and neatly cross things off of them so that I can read them if I need to. I try to keep them organized so if I ever need to figure out when the last time I cleaned out the fish tank was, I can do it quickly (inevitably this spawns a “poor fishies” response with that task moving to the top of my list.)

I learned this amazing skill from the Chief list maker in my family  – my mom.  She would take any scrap of paper and make use of the available space and make a list. The usual suspects – grocery lists, Target run lists, errand lists, Saturday Morning activity lists.  Her preferred tools –  scrap paper recycled from some other activity, ripped into ¼ sheets and a trusty ball point pen.

Then there were the specialized lists based on current activities: Camping? A meal plan for each day as well as a supply list intersected with equipment. Traveling? Packing list for each kid/adult with special attention paid to individual requirements (Comic books for the kids, novels for the adults; Socks – always extra socks). Fundraising party in the works? Invitation lists, seating charts, menu planning, Stocking the bar down to the umbrellas and garnishes.  Those usually used whole sheets of paper and sometimes even warranted fresh, never used paper. That’s when I knew it was a big deal.

My father had the same list habit, with a more formal approach. Since he was a scientist, he was very methodical with his planning. His lists were contained in notebooks rather than the back of a flyer for the school PTA meeting.  While my mother’s notes were written in a loopy cursive of a teacher with a degree in Art and Design, my father’s lists looked like they were produced on a drafting table. And some were – Building a cabin? Lumber yard supply lists, equipment rental contacts, nails, screws, tools. Learning how to make sourdough bread? A list of supplies and timeframe for each of the protracted steps. Lists were integrated into nearly every part of our life.

And it worked for us to keep family stuff straight. Not to the same degree as the overscheduled family lives today. Instead, I view it as a way to make sure that all the logistical stuff was taken care of so we could have fun! My family’s parties were popular because we could focus on the people rather than a missing ingredient for the meal. Our cabin was built because we thought of all the materials tools that we needed to bring instead of taking precious time to head to the nearest hardware store (19 miles away).  In other words, I grew up viewing lists as a way to add precious time back to the family.

I was also a Girl Scout until I reached the inevitable “Care more about mixed gender social activities than selling cookies and earning badges” age – which hit me at 13 or 14 years old. Girl Scouts are also list makers. Badge requirements, craft lists, song lists, outdoor survival tips, service requirements. The Girl Scout handbook is full of great lists!

Obviously, I thought everybody operated this way  – until I went to Language camp with some of my school mates in 8^th grade and found some of my friends lacking some basic necessities.  I thought – “didn’t you follow the recommended packing list?” Sheesh – that was the beginning of an eye opener that lasted many years.

I made lists in school, babysitting activities, my first job at McDonalds, High School focused on the countdown list of days until graduation. Activities for my friends and I to experience  – I know we wrote some strange things down – Hypnosis, staying up all night, listening to records in reverse, boys we liked, girls we hated….  What most people just talked or gossiped about, I think I made written lists.

My experience with my family of list makers told me was: if you write it down it gets done. If it gets done you are happy. Remove the middle step and you get: if you write it down you will be happy.

If you search Entrepreneur Magazine’s website for “To do list”, there are dozens of articles/posts on effective to do lists. Top 3 reasons, Top 5 tips, Four effective ways, on and on. Writers are taught in the first class they attend: Write what you know. Business 101 should include something similar: Do what you are good at. I’m a list maker and I’m darn good at it. I do it every day (even on Mother’s day). It’s not something I chose, it’s just something I do. It provides me structure and eventually freedom from the pressure of deadlines.  I am grateful for the exposure early and often in life.
Thanks Mom and Dad!