Why lists will increase your success

The psychology of lists and how you can implement them now.

Lists are a common organisational tool that people use to keep track of tasks, goals, and ideas. However, the psychology behind the use of lists goes beyond mere organisation. Lists can have a significant impact on our mental state, memory, and productivity.

One of the main reasons lists are so effective is that they help manage our cognitive load. The brain can only actively hold so much information at once, and lists provide a way to offload some of that mental burden. By writing down tasks or ideas, we free up mental space for other things. With a clearer mind, we can work more efficiently and with less stress.

In addition to reducing cognitive load, lists also help us remember things better. When we write something down, we are more likely to retain it in our memory than if we simply try to remember it. This is because the simple act of writing engages multiple senses, reinforcing the information in our minds.

Lists can also be a powerful motivator. Seeing a list of tasks we need to complete can give us clarity, along with a sense of accomplishment as we check each item off the list. This feeling of progress can be highly motivating, helping us stay focused and productive.

Lists can cover any topic, and have different styles. You can have a daily “To-Do” checklist. You might have a list of business names you have been brainstorming. A reading list of recommended books. Perhaps an agenda for your next quarterly planning day. You can have a list of your competitors, or of influencers you would like to collaborate with. You might have a list of accounting softwares you have been recommended. Or perhaps a list of website hosts to research.

You can create and keep lists in either paper format, or digital. A shopping list on the fridge, a notepad on your desk, a notebook in your bag, a sticky note on the mirror or on your desktop, a note app on your phone, or an excel spreadsheet on your laptop. The possibilities are up to you.

To increase success, take action using your lists. Check items off as you complete them. Revise lists as needed, deleting items or collating multiple lists. File digital lists according to their use – personal, business, immediate, future, and so on. Once you have finished with a paper list, and the information does not need to be recorded – bin it. Lists are there to provide clarity, not clutter.

Lists are a simple yet powerful organisational tool. By utilising lists, we can improve our memory, reduce stress, boost productivity, and increase success.