As an avid note taker and stickler for organization, keeping a list helps me to be more organized.

Organization is so important to me because it helps me to feel empowered, whole, in control, and strong. Knowing where things are helps me to manage my tasks better. I feel whole and complete, even during chaos, when what I need is readily accessible. I feel strong when tangible things are in their place because clean spaces create a welcoming resting place for me to unwind and replenish when stressors are high. I feel more in control because I have a clear mind to either think about what is important or to manage daily demands. In short, organization gives me joy.

When I am not organized, it is harder to think through my tasks and prioritize matters of importance because all I can think about is what is out of place, why is it out of place and how much effort will it take to get things back in their place. For me, it is the opposite of joy. It is exhausting.

I feel rewarded when I can rest in a clean and organized space and wish I could have the organization that I crave in both my living and working spaces. Living and working in the same space as others limits the kind of organization I dream of having. Not to mention the difficulty I have meeting my own expectations when I am either off balance or distracted.

So, despite how well-kept my surroundings are, I can still experience organization (and joy!) in other ways. One of those ways is to keep a list.

I make lists all day long, even in the middle of the night. Whenever a dream incites some kind of creative thought, if I do not care to fully wake up and make a proper note, I will recite one or two key words over and over to embed them in my memory. I may not remember the moment or the full scope of the thought as soon as I wake up. But I have always had that moment of recitation reoccur within hours of waking with enough clarity to jog my memory and make an official note. I refer to this as a mental list.

I make these lists on notecards, sticky notes, and random scraps of paper when nothing else seems to be available. I make these lists using my Notes app on my iPhone. I either type the list or speak into the microphone so it can transfer the dictation to the Notes app (oh, the joy!). I make lists using my Google calendar both from my phone or laptop. I even text myself or inbox myself using Facebook messenger. I can make a list in no time, any time.

After the completion of a task, I cross through the note. But I need it to still be available for a final review or confirmation that I have addressed every related item for any assignment.

Writing a book can be a headache. Writing a good book can be a migraine. As a published author, I have had to become more efficient when meeting the demands of multiple deadlines. Responding to this demand begins with a great outline, which is nothing more than a prioritized list or plan. An exhaustive outline provides guidance as well as inspiration for the stories that are told. Whenever I lose my way or have become too distracted by other things, I run back to the outline to help me finish the manuscript in time.

Upon completion, I enjoy gathering all related notes and lists, deleting them from my devices, tearing the pieces of paper and throwing them away, or putting the torn pieces of paper in a box designated for shredding later. When an assignment has been particularly challenging or the accomplishment is significantly important, I may hold on to the collection of notes for a brief period, bound by a large binder clip or held in a designated folder, as a trophy. It helps me to be thankful and reflect on the significance of the achievement.

Other times, when the magnitude of the moment results in an emotional response, it just feels great to manage the closing of the task and the doing away with the notes in an action that is more final and celebratory. So, I burn the papers and say a prayer of thanksgiving. I thank God for the release of the load, the strength to finish the job, and the peace of the end of a thing. I make room for the next task; mentally, emotionally, financially, and wholeheartedly.

Using lists this way, to this extent, may take my desire for organization to a whole other level. But it really is worth it when the assignment meets or exceeds expectations because the process was well-managed. Now, the only conflict is determining which part of the process brings me the most joy. Organizing my thoughts with a list? Marking things off the list as I complete them? Looking at the pile of completed lists as a trophy? Or burning the lists and showing gratitude for another job well done. I think each of these things are necessary for maximum joy.

Need to get organized? Try making a list. Celebrate the end. Have a moment to reflect. Be thankful. Make room for the next success. Burn the list and feel the joy!

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Kimberly Hayes

Dr. Hayes is fascinated by the way people function in their relationships and how those relationships affect community. There is so much to gain when you investigate why people do the things they do.

Dr. Kimberly Hayes is a wife, mother, senior pastor, ministry planter, senior systems engineer, teacher, and six times published author with Goshen Publishers. As a licensed life coach, she also provides leadership training, mentoring, spiritual development, and coaching – assisting people to heal, to give, to grow, to help more, to collide less, and break through.