Author Spotlight
Caroline Wood
Bike around Amsterdam, 0.7 mm lead, orthodontist appointment, finish problem three on worksheet 6.5, find shoes for WPA and “The Lightening Thief.” Though these words may not seem like they could have any relations, each has its place on one of my many lists.
Let’s face the obvious — being a teenager isn’t without its challenges. Between doing vocab packets, forensics tournaments and spending time with friends, simple daily tasks are bound to fall through the cracks of a hectic, chaotic schedule. I’ve found that making lists allow me to stay organized and cut through the noise of life with a surefire tabs system.
My floral-rimmed notepad gets stamped with homework, shopping lists, upcoming events and pretty much all other to-dos for the day — something that’s become my daily routine.
Writing down what I need to do incentivizes me to actually do it. But my notepad isn’t the only place you can find checkboxes for chores, homework and packing lists. I have colorful stacks of sticky notes to jot down thoughts, and the Notes app on my phone is filled with constant reminders.
Out of all of my lists, my favorite is definitely my book list.
It took me way too long to get through the “Harry Potter” series, but when I finally did, I decided I needed to catch up to my friends on all of the books I missed out on in those five monotonous years from third to eighth grade. After finishing the series, I made a checklist on the Notes app of all of the books I wanted to read. Now, a year and a half later, I’ve read almost 50 new books — thanks to my list, of course.
I find myself scrolling through the list when I’m bored, looking back at all I’ve accomplished and counting how many books I have left before I take on the “Percy Jackson” series — I’ve only got five left.
My daily to-do list is by far the most frequently used among my lists, varying from putting away my mountain of laundry to finishing my Punnett squares worksheet. Whenever I get home from school, I go straight to my list, update it and start working, with my math worksheets always sitting at the top.
Crossing off a task brings a great sense of satisfaction and builds a natural ambition to keep on checking things off — enhancing my productivity.
Every time I crumple up a list and throw it in the trash, I feel a burst of pride because I’ve finished everything I set out to do. It’s turned into a sort of therapy.
Ralph Ryback, a psychiatrist who taught at Harvard Medical School, wrote that completing a list boosts dopamine, a “feel good” neurotransmitter, causing you to become accustomed to productivity.
Ryback further explains that dopamine is amplified within people when they get something they want — resulting in its trademark, pleasantly productive feeling.
Your body recognizes the cause of this feeling and urges you to replicate it, which compels you to complete more items off your list. Making your bed could lead you to washing the dishes or taking out the garbage — the more you cross off, the more likely you are to cross off the next one, too.
As several people are guilty of, I’ll spend my Saturdays being lazy, letting all of my work pile up like magma in Mount Vesuvius, and by Sunday, it all explodes, leaving me buried in ashes. But with a list, once I check the first thing off, the rest are blown away like dust, leaving me time to enjoy the rest of my weekend.
I don’t necessarily get this feeling from crossing milk off a Hen House shopping list, but dragging my red Pilot G-2 pen across “Study for Unit 7 Bio Test” does the trick.
Matthew Tull, PhD — a professor of psychology at the University of Toledo — says that lists can also help with depression, anxiety and other mood disorders through a process called behavioral activation. When people are dealing with these kind of disorders, it’s common for them to withdraw themselves from their usual activities, worsening their symptoms.
Tull also says that behavioral activation is a coping strategy where you partake in positive, rewarding activities that reflect your values and interests. You work towards those goals, which can boost your mood and lower your stress levels.
Although behavioral activation, such as lists, is not a cure for these disorders, it can help improve mood and is often suggested as a part of treatment.
All things considered, a list is both a simple system and rewarding motivation. Small tasks or goals you want to accomplish like reorganizing your closet, taking a 30 minute walk or meeting a friend for coffee are things that could be on these lists. When you’re feeling down and out, a list may be just the thing to motivate you to get moving.
Seeing your progress raises your mood — like how I felt on Dec. 31 looking over all that I have accomplished throughout the year. Which leads me to the last list that I’d like to mention — the annual New Year’s Resolution.
It is pretty typical for us to not finish these lists — I still haven’t been able to check off “learn how to cartwheel.”
Studies have shown that most people don’t follow through with their resolutions, with 60% giving up after six months and 25% quitting after only seven days. However, a study done at the Dominican University of California showed 42% were more successful when they wrote them down.
With the new year just starting, make a resolution, write it down, put it somewhere for you to see and get everything checked off before Jan. 1, 2021.
And, if I may — you might also want to include “writing more lists” on there, too.
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