Love a List

What is it about The List?

We grab paper and pen, or an iPad and start typing, and suddenly all is well. Like many, I love a good list.

The power of the list, I would argue, lies in two extraordinary benefits:

First, it succinctly directs our mind to what needs attention. When everything is swirling in your head, nothing has priority. The moment you write it down, hierarchy appears; some things matter more; some things can wait. The list makes this explicit.

Second, it off-loads the storage of such data. Your brain is not so good at remembering large numbers of things but-if there is structure-is excellent at processing them. Let the paper (or screen) hold the information. Let your mind do the thinking and deciding.