Spice of Life: A saga of to-do lists

I was having a Whatsapp chat with a friend when she expressed that she seemed to be suffering from the never-ending to-do-list syndrome. Officially, there’s no such syndrome, but, when one has an ever-increasing list of tasks, plus a personality that likes to keep everything in life ticked and organised, it might as well be recognised as one!

On a serious note, usually one would expect that only forgetful people make such lists; but, in reality, each person already was doing, does, or soon will begin, making to-do-lists especially since the present day world glorifies multi-tasking and productivity.

Apart from organisational and prioritising skills, it also exhibits one’s earnestness in doing the chores (it’s another aspect that it doesn’t ensure the same; for sometimes there’s such a peaceful and transcendental feeling upon jotting down an exhaustive list that the person doesn’t feel any need for execution, at least till some time).

Now whether one prepares a grocery list, or, an office-tasks list, whether it is done on mobile, or more traditionally, using pen and paper; the agony of misplacing/losing an unfinished to-do list is always, and absolutely, unbearable. The situation only worsens when one tries to remember all the noted chores, but fails, and blames himself/herself for not having created a back-up list! Having faced this tragedy multiple times, I now keep a master list ready in my handset, and refer to it every day for the particular calendar date’s brand new list, patting own back.

The exact opposite of this agony is the utmost thrill and ecstasy that one experiences when all the noted chores get ticked off and there is still an hour or so left before the next duty/obligation/errand presents itself. Now whether one is successfully able to utilise that hour to unwind, or spends it wondering if there was a job that got skipped from the list altogether is, well, somehow a personal call. Don’t they say that our choices define us? This space in time is exactly what we can use to refine (and re-define) ourselves.

Also, when we are making a list, at times it can create ripples, too! For instance, when a professor was seen diligently making a list on a particular non-teaching (and relatively lighter work-load) day, it gave everyone goose-bumps. There were eventually waves of relief when she shared that it was her Sunday shopping list under construction.

There can also be times when old lists emerge from some drawer, or a wallet/purse. What an amusement it generally gives! ‘Oh yes, this is something I was so occupied with last month!’ ‘Oh no, this is still present on my to-do list!’ ‘Well, I guess I could have skipped this altogether!’ ‘Oh yes, I finished it so well!’ et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

Once I read that an accurate method of creating effective to-do lists is incomplete without prioritising i.e. using different coloured highlighters to mark ‘important’, ‘less important’ and, ‘least important’. No, I didn’t quit reading (pun intended). And the truth remains that till date my lists are regular, but, haphazard. My prioritising happens on the go; for instance once I had it on that day’s list to tidy a particular drawer. Enthusiastically, I emptied all its contents into a small tub, intending to keep them back orderly. Then I suddenly recalled more important jobs for the day. So, the tub, with its drawer-contents, went on my cupboard top and rests there till date. Furthermore, since the drawer was tidied anyhow, I ticked the job done!

The writer is a Jagadhri-based freelance contributor and can be reached at reemaban@gmail.com.