Anyone who knows me (and you probably do) is aware of my methodical, perhaps maniacal list-making habits. While I am thoroughly attached to the list-making process I've developed, I've become concerned that, instead of aiding me in my daily tasks, the lists may be thwarting my ability to get things done.
In his book, Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long, David Rock explains that prioritizing one's tasks is among the most energy-consuming activities your brain performs, and he recommends that one complete this early on in the day, when energy levels are high. Rock also notes that when you store a list in your brain, much of the energy in your prefrontal cortex is dedicated to maintaining that list, whereas if you write the list down, you enable your prefrontal cortex to concentrate its limited attention (Rock writes that if your compare your brain functions to money, your prefrontal cortex, responsible for most of your conscious brain activity, can hold the equivalent of the change you have in your pocket, whereas the rest of your brain can hold the equivalent of the US economy) on other things.
As I interpret them, these ideas support list-making. I make lists in order to keep track of the tasks at hand in an aesthetically pleasant way, so that I don't forget to do anything, and also to reward implementation of my plans, as the physical crossing-off of list items is a satisfying thing.
The reality is that the lists I come up with either have too few items, causing me to feel like I have nothing to do, or too many items, resulting in an overwhelmed giving-up. There's also what I call "The Carry-Over Problem," which is the situation where an unpleasant or long-term task is carried over from one list to another, day after day, and becomes a dreaded, frustrating, impossible task.
Not all people may experience this, but my failure to complete a list results in feelings of general failure.
I'm presently reading Daniel G. Amen's Change your Brain, Change Your Life: The Breakthrough Program for Conquering Anxiety, Depression, Obsessiveness, Anger, and Impulsiveness, which so far has been focused on the idea that the way you look at problems, obstacles, and other things that present themselves in life can affect the chemical balance in your brain. Amen indicates that if you look at a task as a to-do, as something you have to do, your brain is wired to not want to do it.
I guess the solution is to take a different approach to list-making and to generally lighten up. But suggestions are always welcome =)
Speaking of suggestions, I have not yet titled this new blog. Thanks for reading my first post!
This article was perfect timing for me. I find that I think best right before I go to bed to make my lists for the next day.
ReplyDeleteWhat Amen says makes a lot of sense, but at the same time I feel like you have to have a general to-do list so you don't forget important things. I agree and I think you do need to make lighter lists. What about mental lists? That is how I work most of the time. That way all the important stuff gets done and I don't have a hard copy of the little unimportant things that I forgot about (that would just bother me). Its sort of like training yourself to wake up without an alarm clock!
ReplyDeleteNice. Now I can get brain info at work and from the interweb!
ReplyDeleteInstead of this:
ReplyDelete1. Pay bills.
2. Grocery shopping.
3. Do laundry:
Try something like this:
1. Pay bills while eating chocolate cake.
2. Pour beer into a totable coffee container, and drink it while grocery shopping.
3. Dance.
4. Do laundry while daydreaming about curb-stomping my boss.
And don't forget to always take your daily dose of tetrahydrocannabinol.