List writing is a very popular thing that people say they do partly for their wellbeing but also for productivity. It’s good to have a list of all the things you need to do, things that you don’t want to forget, to be organised – it can help to feel more in control of things.
But also, David Allen who write the famous productivity book ‘Getting Things Done’, suggests that lists have a bit more of an emotional role in our lives. They help us to forget things, to put them out of mind. He argues that if you don’t have a system that you trust for writing things down then they become open loops that just lurk in the back of your mind unconsciously trying to remind you of things. Which can be distracting and worrying.
So try to find a system that you trust, a way that you can write things down so that you don’t forget them. Or if you do want to forget things then just write them out and throw the paper away.
Try to use list writing as a way to clear your mind and allow you to focus really well on the next task.