
Over the summer I took a break. I prerecorded all my podcasts. I chose old blogs to repeat. I scheduled emails to everyone on my ruthamos.com.au mailing list with the links to the blogs and podcasts. It was all done, completed and ready to go by Christmas, and I took a nice long break.
When I came back, refreshed, I got back into it. I came up with an idea. I wrote the blog. I chatted with Scottie on the radio. I recorded and uploaded the podcast. I did all the normal things.
But I forgot one.
Three fortnights later, three whole blogs and podcasts later, I realised that I had forgotten to write to the newsletter mailing list.
Oops.
I wrote a repentant email with a lot of links in it. And vowed never to forget again.
But vowing never to forget, and even being totally embarrassed by the experience, these are two things that are not going to help me. Because I know that life can get overwhelming. There can be a lot on my plate. And next time I’m trying to get a blog and podcast out at the same time as writing a novel and editing two theses at once, I’m not really going to have the headspace to remember everything.
I might remember the newsletter this time, but forget to put all the links up on Facebook. Or I might remember the social media links, but forget to put the blog post in the notes for the podcast. Some of this stuff can be automated, but so much of it depends on me. And, obviously, I’m not as reliable as I’d like to be.
The solution?
As always, write it down.
In fact, if there is a regular thing you do that requires more than, say, three steps, I’d suggest that you write it down. Put it into a checklist. And then, remember to read the checklist.
I mean, now you’re only remembering one thing, right? Not 27 separate steps.
Here are some other times where this kind of checklist could come in handy:
I’ve talked before about my packing checklists. I have one for going to stay in hotel/motel type accommodation and another for going to an Airbnb or someone’s shack (that’s a beach house to you if you’re not Tasmanian). I just got sick of getting to wherever we were going and thinking, ‘Oh yes, rubber gloves for doing the washing up. I meant to pack those.’ Now it’s all on the list. And I can still choose what to take and what not to take, but at least the reminder is there.
A checklist would be super helpful for the regular preparation for rental inspections. You only need to write it once, then you can work off it every time this regular process comes around.
You can use a checklist for your kids so that they know what they need to accomplish before they go to school each day, or after they come home.
There are so many work procedures that can also benefit from a checklist. Quality control, maintenance, assessments, equipment checklists, training checklists, emergency checklists and so on.
Anything that has several steps and is repeated regularly (or semi-regularly) can do with a checklist.
Two important factors:
1) The checklist must have a clear goal. You need to know what it’s for. Don’t mix two lists together.
2) The items on the list must be actions you can achieve. Clear actions that can be marked off. Don’t make it ambiguous. Write, ‘Put dirty clothes into the hamper’ not ‘Tidy everything’.
In Japan, train drivers have a system where they point at status indicators and say what the status is. For example, they would point at the traffic light and say, ‘the light is green’. It may sound like a waste of energy, and a repetition of the obvious, but pointing and calling reduces mistakes by about 85%.
Checklists are my version of pointing and calling. I like to think that I can remember what needs doing, especially when I am performing a repeated and regular task. However, history shows that I can’t. I need to use a tool to help me.
It’s time to swallow my pride, remember to use the tools I have, and get on with producing something of quality that will be a help to others.
Do you use checklists at all? Where have you used them? Where do you think they might be helpful for you now?
Oh, and if you’d like to receive my newsletter, with links to the blog and podcasts plus a little bit of extra news each fortnight, please head over to ruthamos.com.au and sign up! I’d love to have you on the list.