Check It!

Our lives move fast, and they are highly mobile, transitory, and complex. We live in a multi-directional and multi-platform world. It can be overwhelming. To help us manage it all we often use checklists for all things work and life such as shopping, weekend activities, work projects, hobbies, events, and commitments to friends and families. The “list” of lists goes on and on.

Why are checklists our go-to tool? They help us clear away noise, cognitive fatigue, and keep us focused on the important things. It keeps us functional so we checklist it. We checklist it ALL! It provides the control we need.

Checklists provide a skeletal structure to hang all the moving parts of our lives on. It tells us where the pieces belong and where we can find them.  Checklists orient us like a map. In a world of project plans, “10 Step to Greatness”, and an abundance of linear factory thinking they bring order to the chaos.

There are also things checklists do not offer us. Checklists do not provide the essence of our experiences. Checklists might help us organize an event, clarify communication, or arrange all the moving parts of something we are building. But they do not help us enjoy a sunset on the beach or the scents and flavors of our favorite foods. These experiences pulse with energy and meaning because of the beauty of the spaces we visit, the connections we build with others, and the experiences shared together.  

So, the takeaway is this. Leave some room to live part of life “off-checklist”. The unplanned, the creative, the impractical and non-linear. Go for a walk without a plan, agenda, or destination. Leave your phone at home (gasp!). Pick your head up and look around as you walk. Learn the art of noticing what is around you. It might turn out to be an experience you can’t put on a checklist and that just might make it the best thing ever. Here is to your improved and well-maintained mental health!