The Power of Good Old Checklists

Bret Capranica says on September 8th, 2006 at 1:34 pm

I am completely digital when it comes to cheklists. I am enslaved to Franklin Covey’s Plan Plus for Outlook as well – I have been for the past two years. In fact, I just upgraded to the new version 4 on Wednesday. I love the ability to arrange and prioritize my tasks quickly. They also have a great “projects” module that allows me to brainstorm various projects and turn each brainstorm idea into a task, seamlessly integrated into my existing system.
Having just finished GTD last week, I am toying with how FC and GTD might be integraged. For now, paper is out, FC Electronically is my task tool of choice.

jonathan peterson says on September 8th, 2006 at 2:18 pm

First I did the palm, then I did franklin covey (I found that the daily review of todo from page to page was a very good way to start the day). I found GTD MUCH, MUCH better for my professional work and have fiddled with different software to run my GTD life.

The whole time, however, I’ve kept 3×5 cards and a space pen in my pockets as permanent replacements for a fancier PDA. I now have a microsoft mobile phone synced with outlook, but the paper is still where I tend to run everything.

Andrew Sidwell says on September 8th, 2006 at 4:28 pm

I’ve tried various tools and systems, and have gone back to paper. I keep an A5 booklet which has a listing of all my actions, projects, and lists of things; my portable in tray is a heavy duty loose paper folder. It focuses me on the actions to be performed, without any maintainance.

Ken Fehling says on September 8th, 2006 at 5:58 pm

I like the way Jonathon Peterson said “paper is still where I tend to run everything.” For some reason I really like the usage of the word “run” in that sentence. It’s a little off, but it makes it even more powerful, and a little funny that way. Sorry if this post seems crazy or sarcastic. Believe me, it’s not.

Benjamin says on September 9th, 2006 at 8:38 am

Hey Chris

I’ve actually moved more lo-fi. Take a look at what a contact of mine in my city just blog’d @ http://ready2grow.blogspot.com:

“I’m sitting in the Northfield Williams Coffee Pub in Waterloo with Benjamin Bach the other day, and he pulls out this little stack of recipe cards held together with a binder clip. Now, you need to know that Ben is an extremely bright and tech-savvy guy – so I’m instantly intrigued by what is obviously some kind of very low-tech self-management system.”

I use the DIY Planner, and love it

Benjamin
http://www.benjaminbach.com

Clare says on September 9th, 2006 at 9:27 am

I use 2 different lo tech checklists. At work, I have an ongoing “to do list” that I carry to every meeting. As actions are assigned to me, or as I think of things I should do, I write them on my list. I also write things on my list as I read my email. As I complete things, I cross them off. As I fill up the paper (just plain old printer paper. I get a ream from the supply room and keep it in my cube.), I take a fresh sheet, re-write the items left over on the old page, staple the new page on top of the old page and carry on.
My other check list is used when I am going somewhere. I put it in my room, near the “staging area” (my open suitcase) where I put things I am taking with me. As I think of things I want to take, I write them on the list. As I put them in the staging area, I cross them off. When I get home from the trip, I throw the list away.I rarely forget anything when I use this system.

Dean Johnson says on September 9th, 2006 at 3:10 pm

There is a much simpler way of solving the problem which requires neither a PDA or a Hipster variant. I have a little ditty bag that contains the various dongles, cables, and converters that my standard travel devices require. Typically I just leave that ditty bag in my luggage and thus have everything I need. Likewise my toiletries are fully packed and ready to roll, down to the full shampoo and conditioner bottles. When I get home from a trip, it is my custom to reload everything and leave it ready to go. Thus, packing becomes just adding clothes rather than some tech scavenger hunt, usually under time constraints.

Sure it means some duplication, some of which are somewhat expensive (*cough*powerbook power brick*cough*), but the peace of mind is way better and the consequences of not having the piece are much higher when I am travelling. For instance, where does one go for ipod firewire cables in Bora Bora, French Polynesia?

KyotoCutie says on September 9th, 2006 at 5:01 pm

Though I own a PDA, I also find I prefer a paper list for errand lists, packing lists, grocery lists, etc. To be honest, the only reason I carry a PDA anymore is to have some of my notes (from classes, about books I read, or from sermons I heard), my address book, and my calendar in a device smaller than most DayTimers. To be honest, much of the stuff in my PDA was scribbled on paper, then cleaned up and put on the computer later. It may seem like double work, but I don’t mind the few minutes typing/organizing those things. Really, it refreshes my memory about those things, and helps me organize my thoughts, too.
I am glad to hear that others are also using paper for some things, too. I thought my geekiness was fading because I find it hard to go completely digital.

Jim O'Connell says on September 10th, 2006 at 3:31 pm

Yellow legal pads. I’m addicted to them. I keep one in each car and one in every room in the house, plus several at work. It requires a sort of redundancy because I often have to copy a task from one pad to the next to the next, but that actually serves to reinforce certain items in my head. Very low tech, but it works for me… and I’d just lose a PDA.

Dale Cruse says on September 11th, 2006 at 7:28 pm

I would like to be purely digital to keep my lists. But the fact of the matter is that one sticky note in my pockets helps me get more done on a daily basis than any other solution.

Matt says on September 12th, 2006 at 4:04 am

I use checklist program that runs on my java enabled mobile phone. I dont want to pimp my own own work, but my website has the details!

Ching Valdezco says on September 20th, 2006 at 9:51 am

I keep electronic checklists for things I do often – a travel checklist with everything I need to pack, a training checklist with all the logistics I need to prepare for training sessions. I’ve got the lists synced between my PDA and my PC.

Because they’re electronic, I can check off the items as they’re completed and reset the checklist for next time when I’m done. It makes it easy for me to add or delete items so I can refine the checklist as I go along.

After ten years of travelling for business, I’ve got a pretty good trip checklist!

I also do what Dean Johnson recommends and keep a kit bag ready to go for trips.