5 Facts About Simple But Surprisingly Life-Enriching Habit of Making Lists

The Unbearable Lightness of Listing

I’m such a fan of listing that I can make countless lists for anything. Such as the list of works to complete this week, things I love most, my favorite movies, what I expect from my future partner (before marriage), countries I want to go to. These items can go by miles.

My husband often makes fun of me for my lists, but I just smile at him and continue listing something. It’s such an essential habit for me.

Usually, without knowing the reasons, I insist on doing specific things relying on my gut feeling. But each time, as I continue doing and benefiting those ‘helper’ habits, somehow I discover the inner reasoning for them. Listing is one of those stranger helper behaviors.

Luckily, I’ve finally come across a case that confirms this habit of mine. In the best-seller book of Charles Duhigg, The Power of Habit, the author tells about a case where the habit of making lists changes the consequences dramatically.

A senior executive uses the list-making method to make the right decision of whether to accept a new job offered to him. He also has a habit of making lists; and in this situation, he records everything that will influence his decision-making, such as opportunities, threats, positive aspects, and negative aspects of his new job. He finally accepts the job and, in the end, achieves excellent success by running the company in a method that no one else could have considered.

Thus, I continued to enjoy my habit of listing, the effectiveness of which has now been confirmed at least once.

How does the habit of listing benefit our lives?

Helps to reveal the deep within our minds

When deciding on anything or making an assessment, our mind unconsciously precisely compares the positive and negative aspects of the new situation.

Although we are not aware of it, our mind makes a list to use in the evaluation process. First, it lists the positive and negative possible results and then compares them. This evaluation concludes by taking our previous experiences and knowledge as input.

Exposing the internal evaluation work of our mind as a physical list enables us to visualize what is in the depths to the surface and make the evaluation clear. It also allows us to notice things that we are not aware of.

Leads us to visualize our thoughts and needs

There is no one not making a wish list for the new year on New Year’s Eve. Everybody must have done it at least once. Most of us even make daily, weekly, monthly, yearly plans. I’m no doubt one of them.

We love to list what our plans so much that there are even special notebooks or apps for list-making. We pay for those apps and materials instead of doing it simply with a pen and paper. Why? It is most likely to visualize it in a better and more enjoyable way.

Visibility is important. We can’t really see what happens within our minds, but we can see it if it’s written on paper. When we see things clearly, we can evaluate them more effectively.

Also, we use our creativity better on a visualized material. We can add items to our list without any filter, and afterward we eliminate the irrelevant ones or color them for a more enjoyable experience.

Thus, we can spend the decision-making process in a clearer, understandable and pleasant way, and better, we can be more confident about the decision we make.

Makes us feel safe because it sets boundaries

Boundaries make us as humans feel safer. Although we regard freedom as an essential concept of our lives, it feels good to see that there are limits somewhere around everything, even if they are not tight.

That’s why people read the articles made up of lists more, or there is always a Table of Contents part at the beginning of the books. What will that story or book give us? How far does it take the subject? What will I learn when it’s over? Knowing these makes us feel good, and we can easily engage in reading that text.

Liberates us

At first glance, it may seem irrelevant, but making lists gives us a feeling of liberation because the things we add to the lists go off our minds.

Once the things scattered in our minds are written down, the risk of losing them decreases. As in the proverb, ‘Words fly, writing remains,’ physically presenting our knowledge, thoughts, or feelings within a limited framework liberates us from anxiety.

Reinforces our sense of achievement

It doesn’t take that long to write a list. But it gives us more than we provide it.

By writing with a simple paper and pen, or on our computer, we can write down what is in our minds and turn it into a visible product. Being focused and producing something on our own gives us the satisfaction of accomplishing a tangible thing.

It may sound like just a list, but it’s not that simple. It is a product that you produce with your mind and creativity, and it will also be of use to you. Listing works life-changing, especially judging by the feedback from so many people.

How I use lists in my life

Planning:

I have a yearly goals list, which I prepare every September, not December or January because the work year begins with the end of summer for me.

I have book lists to read monthly, weekly, and daily job lists.

My weekly meal list helps me not bother about what to cook every day. We prepare meals at home, don’t order from outside. So, I make a weekly menu at the beginning of each week to make it easier to cook and shop during the week.

Decision Making:

When I’m about to decide something, I write my thoughts in my notebook or computer. Mainly I list the items to see the pros and cons of the situation.

Most of the time, after a few minutes of starting to list the facts, I can decide how I’ll proceed.

Writing:

I keep the new topics and ideas for my future stories in sheets as a list. I often browse them to decide the topic of my next story.

I always prepare an outline before writing my new texts. I put every issue I’ll cover in the text in a list. Thus I don’t miss anything and also quickly write.

Fun:

My 11-year-old son and I often invent games that sound silly. For example, we list the most disgusting things in the world or the funniest people. At this time, laughter or strange noises may arise from our house.