I was introduced to writing a to-do list/ note-taking was when my parents listed down their daily plans. They would skillfully make a note of everything under the sun — things to do on the next day, daily expenses, an account of insurance policies, money lent, etc. Weirdly, they still do have these old dairies put to use to maintain their records and habits.
No wonder, this ‘writing-down-everything-DNA’ has passed into me as well. I got this habit only when I moved out of the house after my 12th grade, when I had to take my responsibility. And once I moved out, there was no stop to my to-do lists. I had to make sure everything was under my control — daily plans, homework, assignments, money, etc.
The benefits of making a to-do list in my personal as well as professional life have been immense. Apart from making my life easy, it also provided me with much needed instant gratification of completing and ticking off tasks. I did carry the habit in my professional life too. When I was in school, I would prepare myself for the next day by packing my bag the night before. What stayed is preparing myself for the next day, but by penning down the list of things I need to accomplish the next day at work. This is how it has benefitted me in other ways:
- Reduces stress: We live in the era of multitasking. Naturally, one does tend to take the stress from completing different projects and juggling work and life. Writing down your tasks daily has helped me to declutter my tasks and removed the sense of feeling overwhelmed. But I also make sure to not over-plan my day. Over-ambitiousness will only fulfil the opposite of note-making.
- Reduces anxiety and improves mental health: I am a huge advocate of mental health and any activity that improves everyone’s mental health around me. The act of completing tasks is a huge ego booster. Planning and noting down everything also plays a major role in removing the uncertainty that a rainy day could bring.
- Provides motivation: I try to accomplish all the tasks from the to-do list. The feeling of striking off a task done is surreal and liberating. Having a list of things to achieve by the end of the day keeps you organized at all times. Because now you know how to compartmentalize your tasks, you will know which activity is urgent and important, and prioritize accordingly.
- Balances productivity: If you noticed, I used the word, balances here, and not increases. Indubitably, jotting down tasks will give you direction in everyday life. It will help you to be productive on certain days. However, from my experience, there will be days when you won’t feel very productive, and on those difficult days, this task list will balance you and your mental well being.
I have noticed everyone around me has a to-do list in different shapes and forms. But to get started, you can always start by visiting a stationery shop — a place where all great things begin. Choose your favourite pen and a diary. You can also have two separate diaries for personal and professional lists. Please keep in mind that it is of paramount importance that you make achievable and practical goals.
There are tons of applications you could use on your smartphone to begin with (Wunderlist, Google Keep, Microsoft to-do, One Note, etc.). Nevertheless, I prefer writing it, instead of typing it. Writing forces my brain to mentally engage with the information and reinforce the message of completion. There are several studies and articles which have also led the researchers to deduce that students had better learning and remembering experiences when they hand wrote the notes instead of typing them out.
After all, the pen is now mightier than the keyboard.
