To-Do Lists Suck

I have a friend (let’s call him Brent) who has a 97+ item running to-do list in a spreadsheet. He deletes stuff when they’re done and adds tasks at the bottom when new stuff comes up.

Brent’s list is never done. Ever. I think the first time I ever heard of this list was 10 years ago. And he still refers to it. I’m pretty sure it’s the same list.

Brent loves his lists. Yay Brent! It works for him.

But me?

If I ever create a 97+ item to-do list, I may just have to shoot myself.

A to-do list that long is WAY overwhelming. I wouldn’t know where to start. And the fact that it never ends?  The anxiety alone would kill me (if I haven’t shot myself already).

To be perpetually doing, working on the same list for month after month?

Sounds like hell to me.

But that’s me (and I’m sure a few of you, too ).

So I don’t use lists.

Except for groceries and packing for a trip.

What I do is way funner (:P) and works the way I work.

I’m a visual person (frankly, everyone is). I’m also forgetful, as Creative Explorers often are. We’re so focused on What’s Next that we forget what we’ve done in the past. Also, if something’s not front-and-center, it doesn’t exist as far as my brain is concerned. That makes me a crappy friend from time to time and a horrible executor of plans.

I used to write up lists. I’d have EVERYTHING I needed to do for a particular project on one list all written neatly with little boxes next to each item so I could check them off when I was done. I even tried list-based productivity tools to keep track of projects on my iPhone and computer.

Every list I ever created ended up lost or completely forgotten in a notebook or file somewhere. I’ve spent at least $30 on iPhone apps that looked fantastic with all sorts of bells n’ whistles to keep me on track. I haven’t used any for more than a day or two. I even won a year’s subscription to a web-based project-planning app. I used it for 2 days.

It became glaringly obvious that lists and I don’t get along. I had to figure something out that would work for me, with the way I work, and wasn’t mind-numbingly boring.

So I decided to start drawing maps. On paper with smelly markers.

I started creating visual representations of what I need to do for a particular project and tracking evidence of my progress.

Big project maps on my wall. Small daily maps in a sketchbook.

And I’m getting stuff done. 

I’m also remembering what I’ve done. Even if I don’t have these maps in front of me, the very act of drawing a map, using more than one of my senses, embeds the project/things I’ve done more solidly in my mind than just writing.

I use vision, touch, sound, and smell (occasionally taste if I have a spoonful of Nutella while drawing my map).

I feel the paper and the movement of my hand and markers across the paper.

I smell the smelly markers (the grape is my favorite) as I draw my map and color in the tasks I’ve finished.

I see the maps when I look on my wall or over to my sketchbook.

I hear the scritch-scritch of my markers on the paper.

All of these senses bringing in information about the exact same thing lodges it firmly in my brain. I recall steps of my project even when I’m away from my maps. When the project or day is done, I remember the sense of accomplishment when I color in each item on my map.

I feel more calm, more in control when I use maps instead of lists.

So yeah, to-do lists suck.

If they’re not working for you, why are you still using them? If they do work for you, YAY! Keep using them. But if not, you have to find something that will.

I’m a big advocate for finding what works best for you. You’ll be happier and get stuff done if your tracking systems don’t make you feel like stabbing yourself in the eye.

If you’re interested in what I do, I’m teaching a class called Creative Cartography where we will plan out your project and create a map for it as well as use daily maps to chart your progress. We’ll learn about Acceptable Minimums to keep the stress levels down when you don’t have the energy but still want to make progress, and get a handle on your TRUE daily capacity for what you can ACTUALLY get done. That way you don’t feel like crap when you see a map with only 3 out of 15 things colored in.

It’s the last time until mid-to-late 2012 that I’ll be able to teach this class live and offer support. I’m expecting an addition to my family in February, so things are a bit up in the air as to my own capacity.

So, if you want to find out more, head on over to the Creative Cartography page and read about the class. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below or email me.

If you’re on the mailing list, expect an email soon with a special discount code. If not, sign up at the top right and you’ll get it!