Limitless Lists

There are a few subjects I have in mind which could be today's blog topic. As a matter of fact, I keep a whole list of them on Trello. I'll refer to the list if there's no pressing topic that I have in mind to write about. And it just occurred to me that 'keeping lists' itself could be today's topic!

I am constantly making lists. When I start my day in the office, I'd usually write down a list of tasks I wish to accomplish for the day on my scratchpad. It helps to organize my thoughts and the act of writing sets things into motion.

Trello is a great tool to keep lists. Since I started using this free tool in 2016, I've been using it to track, among others: books I've read, audiobooks that I've listened to, big items I've purchased, things I've discarded and insights I've gained from meditation. For books I've read, I start a new list every year. So I know exactly how many books I've read for each year. And using Trello, it's easy to jot down my thoughts for each item. I also summarize my takeaways from each book there. There's also a Trello app that allows me to do it from my phone easily.

I also have lists of todos, ideas and possible projects that I wish to pursue. I also keep technical notes on various subjects, so much so that I've come to rely on it as my extended memory. I used to write notes on text files but organizing those files systematically and searching for information becomes a bit of headache. With Trello, I managed to overcome all those problems.

Listing items is a great way to start thinking. Every time I'm planning something, I'll start a list with the first item: "1. ..."--and that gets the ball rolling. I have a paper scratchpad notebook that is full of lists. When I'm having discussions with my colleagues on the whiteboard, I start with a list of discussion items too. Each item branches off into further lists. Which makes the Trello app great as you could do that easily and also sort and re-sort items out in the order you want, besides being able to insert images, paste labels and even put timelines on tasks.

Listing helps one to think systematically in a step-by-step manner--algorithmizing thinking. Lists are like programs for the mind--you enter your instructions and you could also put your output into another list. That's what I do compulsively. No list, no work gets done. As simple as that.

As we grow older, the number of items and events that we have to keep track of, increases dramatically. As a result, nothing stands out anymore--and that makes people complain that their memory is failing. But in actual fact, it is the novelty of input that is lacking. To remember something, we have to see its uniqueness in relationship to the rest of your experience. But when you meet so many people and tackle so many mundane tasks in your daily routine, nothing stands out anymore. So it is difficult to recall people's names or remember what you eat for lunch yesterday. That's where lists come in.

I know exactly the sort of things that I will definitely forget. So if they are important, they immediately go into one of my lists. The challenge next is to actually remember that you've captured them in a list! But luckily, Trello is searchable. You just train yourself to go to this single place where you keep your lists and that would be a good starting point.

I also keep a list of movies I've watched every year. So far my list for this year has been pretty empty--I'm not particularly fond of the superhero movies that are hogging the screens these days. But there's a good movie in town this week from one of my favourite directors. So I plan to put that movie on my list today. I will probably blog about it in the coming weeks. So I'm done for today's blog post. That's another item checked on my list!