“What is that?“
My hubby did a double-take as he walked by my 16-year-old’s room.
“What?” as if my son had no idea what he was talking about.
There he lay with a brand new flat screen tv propped up on a folding table at the end of his bed.
“Oh that. Mom said I could get anything I want.”
Let’s rewind about 5 hours, shall we?
Head down, I was typing away on my laptop when from the other room my son yelled: “Mom, I can spend my money on whatever I want, right?”
Me, head still down: “Um, yeah, sure, whatever honey.”
The last time he posed that question he bought a Rubik’s Cube.
This time he installed a flat-screen.
Oh no he didn’t. Yes, in fact, he did.
Needless to say, we made him return it.
Funny how expectations can completely vary from one person to another, right?
We think we’re clearly answering our kids, colleagues, or clients –– or requesting what we need –– but in reality, our message is received in an entirely different way.
Want to know one of my greatest tools to avoid this annoyingness from happening?
It’s a beautiful little tool that helps you:
- limit steps from falling through the cracks
- ensure consistency
- complete carrying out a task
It’s a checklist and we’re B.F.F.’s.
If you’re immediately thinking “to-do list” or “grocery list” that’s just scratching the surface.
Yes, they’re great so you don’t forget to order the toner or grab the oregano.
But checklists are also amazing communication tools because they’re the EASIEST way to create and standardize systems.
I use them for business processes, team management, morning routines, client/prospect follow-ups, workflows, blog creation and so much more.
If you want to reduce quality issues and increase consistency, you should try these lifesavers too.
Seriously, checklists literally save lives. Did you know that safety checklists in clinical practices have been shown to reduce complications by 40%?
That’s cray-cray and awesome at the same time.
Here are other benefits the mighty checklist serves up on a platter for you.
It helps you have more energy, feel less exhausted, and be less snarky with your family.
Why?
Because you spend less brainpower thinking about what you might forget and remembering what you might have forgotten.
Which majorly boosts your energy and patience.
And why I love creating them with my clients from the essential Sunday planning checklist to the sales success checklist to the product launch checklist.
Here’s the bottom line.
Checklists are the easiest way to create systems that work (even for your most complicated projects).
I’d love to see you implement at least ONE so you can be a better role model, supervisor, friend, manager, sister, boss, and caretaker.
Stay accountable by letting me know what it’s going to be.
Lastly, if you’d like support with creating easy systems to make your work life and home life run more smoothly, let’s chat.
Never underestimate the power of getting the right things done.
Xo,
Mridu
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