The reason why you should write down everything…

I had just spoken enthusiastically about the immense value of choosing only one tool to keep your entire to-do list in at the full-day course in structure I held at a big hospital when one of the participants raised his hand and said: “Do you really have to write to everything you have to do? Can’t I just continue to keep all the things I keep in my head there instead of on paper somewhere?”.

The question is valid since it does in fact take longer to write down a task than to not write it down. And being structured and organized is not an end in itself, but a means to an end and only useful if it actually helps us.

If you have things you usually do and which you, therefore, are completely sure you will remember to do, you do not need to write them down just because.

For you who prefer listening to reading, this post is also available as an episode of the ""Done!"" podcast:

Four benefits of keeping a list

But, as I see it, there are four good reasons why I write down everything I have to do:

When I am about to choose what to do next, I want to do so based on accurate prioritization. To do this, it is much easier if I can see all the things I could potentially do in one single place, in a list, rather than rack my brain (or worse, part of my brain) for what I have to do. If I choose my next task from those floating around in my mind, I tend to either choose the tasks that stress me the most and which I, therefore, want to get rid of as soon as possible or the tasks that feel either most extensive or urgent. The point is, these might not be the right tasks to do right now.
If I just keep tasks in my head I risk missing things that need to get done today and which I promised someone else I would do quite some time ago and, therefore, do not have fresh in mind.
I want to dedicate my capacity to other, more interesting, and productive thoughts than thinking “Oh yeah, I almost forgot! I have to remember to do that later.” over and over again.
I have forgotten to do things because I only committed them to memory. It was not pleasant at all and I do not want to repeat the experience…

If you agree with me on all four points above, then write down all the things you will not do immediately. Go ahead and keep the things you are certain you will do anyways in your head, as well as the things you do because you enjoy them, but keep everything else that you must not forget to do someplace other than in your head.

Do this

Take a few moments right now to recall if there is anything you “carry around” in your mind which you cannot forget to do but which is not on your to-do list (or similar tool that you use).

If you realize that you have something floating around in there that is not on your list, write it down instead. Your list will become more of an actually comprehensive overview of all the things you have to do and your can use your mind to do more interesting things than keeping track of your to-dos.

Free up your mind for other things

If you make sure to write down all the things you have to do, it will become easier to do more of what you want and have promised others to do. Only put things that you might otherwise forget on your list, and skip the things you know for sure you will do anyways — remember, the list is not an end in itself; it is a tool and a means to you getting the right things done. If you abide by these simple guidelines, you will find that structure helps you rather than being a boring must.

What’s your way?

Do you still find yourself keeping things in your head? What kinds of things? In what way is it better for you to keep it all in your mind than on a list? Please write and share your thoughts.

I want to know what it is like for you, what helps you, and what doesn’t. Personally, I love having my mind free from all the “have to’s” and would rather keep those on a list somewhere, but we are all different.

(Are you like me and write things down? Check out this tip on saving notes on paper digitally in no time!)

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