Man writing (photo credits: Photos8.com - flickr)
Earlier people managed well just with mental lists, but now with the increasing number of transactions and responsibilities, the need for a physical list (where you note tasks on a paper or an electronic diary) is keenly felt. This trend has spawned a slew of websites and books devoted to the art of such inventories, and for good reason. New research shows that writing lists does the mind and body good in many ways, from making you happier to increasing your workout frequency. There’s more. List-making can also help you:
1. Gain Control
“Surprisingly, lists help us reach our goals even when we don’t accomplish everything on them,” says Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside, and the author of “The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want”. Each time you cross something off, it’s a mental reminder that you’re making progress, an advance that’s both gratifying and empowering. People who are in detail-oriented jobs would do especially well with a list, with minor but important tasks listed in it. This can act as a stepping stone to the final goal.
2. Maximise Brainpower
“You can keep only seven to nine different things in your working memory at the same time,” says Lyubomirsky. “So when you try to remember all the errands you need to run, you use up your cognitive energy. But if you make a list, you free up brainpower to analyse your tasks and prioritise, delegate, or even eliminate some. Plus, you have a much better chance of actually picking up your stuff from the laundry.” And you avoid wasting energy on less important jobs.
3. Make Tough Decisions
(photo: koalazymonkey, flickr)
If you’re paralysed by indecision, make a brainstorm list. Note down anything that comes to your mind, no matter how improbable. Such spontaneous lists can reveal solutions or alternatives to your problem that you might not think of otherwise. The simple act of tackling the problem on paper can also help you feel better equipped to handle it, as you can then focus on resources that will help you achieve the target of the decision reached.
4. Beat a Slump
List your happiest moments, such as the day you first fell in love or bought your puppy. Then close your eyes and relieve an event as though you were actually there. One study found that people who reminisced 10 minutes, twice a day, reported increased happiness after 1 week – and the more vivid the memories, the greater the gains. Therapists suggests that couples make lists of activities they enjoy doing together. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to actually keep a completed list as a fond memory of good times and feel closer whenever you relive those again.
5. Find Motivation
People who compiled weekly gratitude lists exercised for 80 minutes more per week than those who didn’t, perhaps because they were more enthusiastic about life in general, according to recent research at the University of California.
6. Achieve Balance
When you seem to be losing sight of your priorities, make a ‘my-life-would-be-complete-if’ list. By enumerating and giving priority to the things that would provide you the most lasting happiness, such as spending more time with your family, you’ll see where to focus your energy.
7. Feel Joy Every Day
Make a list of up to 100 personal pleasures – from reading a good book to visiting a new restaurant, talking to an old friend. Pursue one a week, and start planning the more ambitious ventures within the year.
8. Boost Confidence
On Target (photo credits: ViZZZual.com, flickr)
List-making can make you feel better about yourself and improve quality of life in general. Bosses or seniors often complain that they had asked you to do 5 things and nothing has been done. Now with a list in place which helps you complete jobs, appreciation from others will work as a tonic and improve your capability. You will feel re-energized with a new-found confidence to take on more tasks and move ahead. The sense of accomplishment, at striking a task off, will be satisfying.
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