Listless

Listless: lacking spirit, energy, enthusiasm

I know a woman who creates lists for everything. If she goes to the store, she has a grocery list. If she’s working on a project she has a list of every step. She has lists for major things to get done each season, each month, each week. And, of course, she has a daily to-do list.

She doesn’t care if she doesn’t get everything on her list done. The lists are guides, not intractable laws. By having lists, she knows what she wants to get done. She can prioritize her time. She can choose to accept or ignore interruptions, and understand what affect that choice will have. She minimizes the chances of unnecessary surprises and catastrophes.

I’m not suggesting that you start creating lists for everything you do, though if that’s what works for you, go for it. But I do think you should be creating a daily to-do list. Having a basic to-do list focuses your day and helps you realize which things are most important.

You can create your list the night before if that’s when you’re at your sharpest. Just be sure to read over it in the morning before your day begins. Or you can create it in the morning so it’s fresh in your mind. The list should be fairly quick and simple to create. It doesn’t need to include every step of every task you set for yourself. It should, however, include all the tasks you want to complete.

You don’t have to follow the list. You don’t have to check items off. You can, of course, but it’s an individual choice. The act of simply creating the list can give you the focus you need, can help you plan and prioritize throughout the day. And when you know what your day holds, it’s easier to garner enthusiasm for things, to find energy that’s often lacking when the day’s demands seem overwhelming. It helps keep that listlessness at bay.

Take just five minutes to create a to-do list that will help you focus your day.