Listful Thinking

Listful Thinking: Using Lists to be More Productive, Highly Successful and Less Stressed by Paula Rizzo        Paperback Book:  155 pages              

Loved this book.   I am forever making lists, I call them my secretary.    First thing every morning and often the last thing I do before I leave the office is make a To Do list.   I take a sheet of paper, draw a line down the center and put Work To Dos on the left and Home To Dos on the right.    When I accomplish a task I cross it off.   Paula Rizzo and I agree there is satisfaction in crossing things off your To Do list.  Throughout the day as things pop up in your mind or directives need to be added – the list is right there beside you and can be added to as needed and delightedly things can be checked off, crossed off or whatever your preference is.     Paula adds another thing to her To Do list for the day – she has a section for distraction placeholder.    What a remarkable idea.   So often when we are swamped and trying to keep our thoughts together then someone comes up and interrupts your concentration then once they are gone you have to try and remember just where you left off or what you were planning on doing next or who was it you were getting ready to call when someone comes up with a conversation totally out of left field and you are not only distracted but given how hard you had been at it then the distraction takes you onto a whole other plane of thoughts only to try to get back to the rhythm you had going in your own groove before and sometimes it can take a while to recapture that moment.   How often have we been painstaking working diligently thoughts processing like a machine in our heads painstakingly paying rapt attention to every minute detail of a project you are on deadline to complete and someone comes up discussing everything to the color of the balloons at their child’s birthday party to their latest romantic fiasco to how irate they are over whatever peeved them and you sit there captive to their conversation as they disregard your body language signals and go on and on about their personal stuff when all you want to do is stay at the freakish pace you had finally got going only to feel like dropping through the floor because now that they have gone you can’t seem to get your momentum back on what you needed to.   Make a list.   As magical as the words abracadabra making a list can keep you on track, keep you focused and if something distracts you or one or more of your bosses needs you to drop what you are doing to take care of something for them, you  simply take a glance at your LIST and see o.k. that is what I am doing and with the added Distraction Place Holder – you go right back to where you were, o.k. I need to pick up the report in June and then call so and so to get the statistics I need from their division so I can plug those in, then call the Manager to let them know I am scanning the info and sending it to them prior to their deadline so they can take it to their meeting.   Uh-oh, here comes one of the talkers from the office water cooler gotta run to the mail room quick.    “Sorry, I have to get this out a.s.a.p.”   Lists are your friends.   I even make lists at home – o.k. this is what I need to get done tonight before I go to bed so that I can take that trip tomorrow,  or I need to make a list of folks who have volunteered to help with the neighborhood clean-up or I need to accomplish all of these particular things this weekend so I can go play next weekend over the holiday while a friend is in town.    Lists can help you focus on what you need to pack for a trip,  what you want to do to improve yourself or your home.    Things you need to put together to make a presentation, things you will need for your wedding, people you want to invite to a fundraiser you are helping to arrange, or list all the addresses you want to check out and make a list of amenities you are looking for in a new apartment, home, roommate and it is always a great idea to make a list of things you want to go over with your doctor when going in for an office visit.     If you make a list before hand when calling a relative you won’t forget all those tidbits you wanted to talk about and you won’t hang up then realize you forgot something you really wanted to tell them.   LISTs people – they are wonderful!   Paula Rizzo moves between handwritten lists which she dearly loves to digital lists which can open so many more opportunities for the list maker.    There are websites that will compile your lists for you, and she highly recommends websites that you can delegate work, tasks, errands, shopping, etc. to.   All can be found in this book.    She talks about how hard it was for her to start making digital lists, but, now she is addicted to digital listing.   A REALLY GOOD BOOK with so much helptful information included you will be so glad you read it.   10 out of 10 stars for this one.   Well done, Paula Rizzo.   Oh yes, she has a website with cool free lists templates for you.    Like getting a prize inside the book.   Love it!