To list or not to list? by Susan Sanderson

 Some people find lists helpful; others do not bother with them. I cycle between using lists and forgetting or not bothering to use them. At particularly busy times I find lists essential, but at other times I may not bother to look at a ‘to-do’ list I have already made. Is this a form of procrastination?

Perhaps if I made a habit of making lists and checking things off on them I’d achieve more. Maybe I don’t use lists when there are things I’d rather not do! (The image is some books in list form.)

One sort of list I find easy to make is for my blogs - a contents list and index can easily be kept up-to-date as long as I do this from an early stage. When I decided to index my book reviews by author, it turned out to be a big job! Updating it now it has been started only takes a few minutes a month.

The problem I find with to-do lists is that I might set off by doing the easy things, leaving the things I find difficult until last. Then they remain reproachfully on the list. At this stage I might stop looking at the list and press on regardless. As Annie Try wrote in one of her Dr Mike Lewis books, doing nothing is also a decision.  In my experience it is not usually the best one.

Having a list might be considered rather like the law in the Bible. It can make us aware of our short-comings. Perhaps that is why I have an on-off relationship with lists. Cycling between two states seems to be human nature. The Book of Judges illustrates it well, or badly – some of the things they did are horrendous.

My lists do not usually have items prioritised. My method of time-management relies on the principle that anything that is essential will get done. Therefore I start by doing the things which are desirable, but not necessarily urgent. For example, I am preparing this post for December in October. I know that in December I am likely to be busy with Christmas correspondence and other day-to-day matters. This week I may have a few blog-posts to prepare for my own blog. I have already scheduled the one for the end of this month here. I have also been thinking about my writing assignment for the Cumbria Christian Writers for November and made some notes.

I know I should make some phone calls, but I am putting that off until I have drafted this. (I made one of the two important ones after the first draft.)

I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions, but perhaps I should begin to make better use of lists.

I have decided (after 31  posts since August 2016 plus three earlier guest posts) to stand down from this blog and give someone else a chance. I have enjoyed my time here. If you wish to read more of my writing Sue’s Trifles is the blog to follow, although you might enjoy my photos on Sue’s words and pictures. You could add them to the list of blogs you follow!

May you be blessed in 2021.

Susan always wanted to be a writer.  In 2012 she revived her interest in writing with a blogging project to collect the kinds of sayings, which were much used in her childhood, Sue's considered trifles.

Susan experiments with factual writing, fiction, humour and poetry.  She does not yet have a book to her name. Her interests include words, languages, music, knitting and crochet.  She has experience of the world of work, being a stay-at-home mum and an empty-nester. She is a member of her Parish Church and lives with her husband in Cumbria. 

Follow her on Twitter @suesconsideredt