Thomas Edison kept a to-do list that was impressive and extensive. Essentially a list of inventions and potential solutions, he wrote down the things he hoped to accomplish and get done before he died.
Leonardo Da Vinci likewise kept a notebook full of scribblings and jots of genius. He was creating on paper, writing down ideas that occurred to him, and teasing out ideas on the page.
There is power in writing, in having a place to write down your thoughts, feelings, ideas, inspirations and to-do’s. While I appreciate good technology, the discipline of writing, and the benefit fo free-flow mental brainstorming is sometimes best done writing on paper.
When asked recently where I keep my to-do tasks, I shared that I like to keep a simple moleskin notebook to jot down things I need to do, people I need to call, and the write down ideas that occur to me. It’s a great reference for me to go back and look over when I’m needing inspiration, keeping myself on track, or needing ideas for my writing or speaking.
Do you keep a to-do list? If so, where do you keep it and how does your system work? If upon reflection it doesn’t work, how could you improve upon what you are currently doing?
David Curry