The "To Do" list

Making "to do" lists is one of my perpetual habits. I make them when I'm bored (which means I make them at work quite often..hehehe). I make them when I have too much to remember. I make them when I just need to organize my thoughts.

Somehow they don't help me actually accomplish my goals though. I spend 10 or 15 minutes making this big, elaborate list of chores or tasks to accomplish, I put the list in my pocket and....well, it stays there. Anybody else forget to actually follow your to do lists? Of the times I've made to do lists, I think I've followed it 5% of the time (and 5% is a generous stretch).

I was wondering last time I made one, why I do it if I don't actually end up using it properly. Well, I think it actually does help me out. Even though I don't follow it in order and I usually don't even start one or two of the projects on my list, the simple task of making the list helps me out.

Rather than keeping all my thoughts jumbled in my head, I get to write it down on paper and (hopefully) remember them in more of an organized manner.

I know I've read reports and studies that suggest that students who write their notes down on paper when studying end up doing better on their tests because the process of writing that information down on paper ends up getting stored in that memory bank in your head.

So, for those of you who are like me and forget about your to do lists once they're finished, fear not! It's not an entirely wasteful way to use your time and paper....right? lol