The Most Simple And Powerful Holiday Sanity Saver

I have an obsession. And at this time of year I’m more obsessed with it than ever. Because it is THE way I keep my brain and life organized.

On top of wrapping up a bajillion work-related projects like, proposals, financials and projections, my mind is constantly drawn towards thoughts of gifts to buy, reservations to make, meals to plan, linens to clean, decorations to put up, and packages to return.

While the holiday season is a joyful time to spend with family and friends, it sure does adds a whole other layer of stress and anxiety to our lives too.

Which is precisely why my obsession kicks into high hear during this time, and thank goodness for that. Because it brings my anxiety down ten fold.

Before the “big reveal” it’s important you keep an open mind and embrace the simplicity of this strategy, even if you’re already doing it. Because there’s a good chance it could use a bit of improvement.

Here’s what saves me miles of stress, hours of time and buckets of energy.

Checklists.

Are you let down?

Don’t be. Given that something this simple could have a powerful effect on your life, you should be jumping for joy right now.

Why checklists?

Checklists get things out of your head and on paper (or a digital format). Which results in three very important benefits for your time and sanity:

Finally, checklists are satisfying. How many times have you completed a task that wasn’t on your to-do list, then added it in just so you could cross it off?

That dopamine shot (reward hormone) sets in, giving you a dose of instant gratification and the desire for more, more, more. Which simply means that the act of checking or crossing off gives you a sense of accomplishment and motivates you to keep going.

What If I’m Already Using Lists?
I see many people using lists, perhaps some of the time or a lot of the time, but not all of the time. And that’s why a detail, step or thought will fall through the cracks.

How many times have you remembered you needed to buy toothpaste just as you entered your garage, after going to the grocery store?

Or how about when you forgot to email that one document which ended up being the only one your boss or client asked about?

Plus, checklists give you clarity. When you’re planning your day or even your morning, it’s hard to figure out everything you need to get done.

But when it’s written down you can see your next steps, which drastically simplifies the planning process and inspires execution.

I was recently asked in a training I was conducting, “how many lists are too many?” An attendee said she had so many checklists that it was probably too much. On the contrary, you can never have too many checklists.

The problem isn’t with your quantity of lists, but with your quality of them.

Super long lists become ineffective. They’re just overwhelming and simply, not helpful.

However, lists that are categorized into similar tasks or related to a particular project motivate you to take action.

For example, if you have a page full of tasks under “Holidays,” categorize them into, “Shopping,” “Cooking, “Decorating,” and “Entertaining.”

If it still feels like your lists are too long, break them down even further. Like, you might have several sub-categories under “Cooking” like:

Once you start your checklists within each of these categories, you get clarity on what needs to get done and when to get started. The more detailed your categories, the better your results.

Where do you store them?
I love paper but too many times I haven’t gotten my to-do’s down because my notebook or planner weren’t with me. Because thoughts come to you all the time, I recommend using a digital resource to capture them, like Evernote.

So now I’ve gone totally digital, always having access to my lists on my phone, laptop and ipad.

Hopefully by now you see the value and benefits of getting ALL your thoughts, to-do’s and tasks into organized checklists. They are true sanity savers not to mention powerful to the success of your personal and professional life.

So, do you capture ALL your ideas, thoughts and to-do’s all the time? Or do you write down some of the things some of the time and waste time on remembering tasks or fearing one has fallen through the cracks?

Take some time now to create ONE place you’ll capture all the thought that live in your head and set yourself up for success by ALWAYS adding to it.