The Power of Lists

Why lists are one of the most underrated tools in our wellbeing-driven productivity toolkit and how to maximise their power

Hello 👋

Writing a list is one of my favourite strategies for dealing with feeling overwhelmed.

• Brain too full? Write a list.

• Not sure what to do? Write a list.

• Stressed but don’t know why? Write a list.

Lists seem to be considered a "basic" productivity tool, but they are much more than that. Let's explore the power of lists.

Why Lists?

Our brains love lists for many reasons, but a few are:

• They provide structure and help us plan and think more clearly.

• They externalise information (meaning we do not have to hold things in our heads to reduce cognitive load).

• They lower stress and anxiety levels and calm the chaos.

• They prove our achievements (we can list what we have done instead of what we plan to do).

• They help us work out our priorities.

Journal Prompt: How do you currently use lists? Are you using them positively, negatively, or neutrally?

10 Lists to Make

I love a to-do list as much as the next productivity nerd, but there are so many other kinds of lists to make.