No. 83: Someone, somewhere, is working through my task list

Every day I write by hand (because it feels more real that way) a long list of all the things I need to do. I have done this every day since I was at university. Typically there will be around 50 things on each days’ list (of which I typically only ever manage to do about 20). Usually on a Friday (ie today) I gather up the 5 lists from the week and consolidate them into a whole new daunting/exciting list for the following week.

I know from experience that if I don’t write things down then stuff doesn’t happen. I live by my lists. If it is on a list then it will, eventually, get done.

I take an almost perverse pleasure in writing things down just so I can cross them off again. My wife has been known to tell people that I write ‘Write list’ on my list, just so I can cross it off. That would, of course, be totally ridiculous. Writing ‘Consolidate weeks lists’ however would be perfectly reasonable. My list obsession is one of the (many, many, wonderful) quirky things about me that she loves.

Today I was up at the crack of dawn (445am) to catch a flight to Sweden. One of my tasks for the flight was to consolidate my weeks lists. As the plane took off I started on the task. However just as we levelled out the steward came to me and told me that a lady a few seats behind me wanted me to go and join her.

This sort of thing doesn’t happen to me very often (ever actually) and before you get any wild ideas about my jet-set lifestyle enabling me to meet strange and beautiful women all around the world, I should probably clarify that it was my GWDP/Blackstone boss who was summoning me as she was also on the flight. I dutifully put my papers in the back of my seat and went to join her. We talked for the full flight and when we got off I completely forgot to recover my papers.

It was only when I arrived at my meeting in Stockholm that I realised my mistake. Fortunately all I left was my lists and the notes I made from last nights’ Isle Board Call (so much for writing up those minutes….). My immediate reaction was to break into a cold sweat of panic. How was I ever going to recall all the things I needed to do?

Then I realised this is Sweden. People are lovely here. I am certain someone will have picked up my list and be diligently, methodically working their way through it. I don’t need to worry. I can relax, safe in the knowledge that someone, somewhere, has it all in hand….