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It’s About Time Ruth Wong |
Work smarter, not
harder, with checklistsDO you dislike having to nag your children day after day? Do you need to be reminded of the steps of a certain procedure or task? Do you sometimes forget to bring something important to a meeting or event? Do you sometimes leave on a trip and forget to pack an essential item?
If you answered "yes" to any of the above, may I suggest the use of a very simple tool, the checklist?
Checklists can help to remove the nag factor in parenting. When my children were young, I wanted to encourage them to develop certain habits. I created a simple checklist on which I wrote different habits I wanted them to establish. Desired habits included such things as getting ready for school, not fighting with each other, good table manners and going to bed on time. Using the checklist made learning a fun game.
I put the checklist on a simple chart that we called "The Star Chart," which was kept on our refrigerator door. Each evening, a star was drawn in for each habit successfully practiced that day. At the end of the week, if a certain number of stars were earned, each child would receive a special treat. It was never something we bought, but rather something like getting to pick the dinner menu or having a friend over for dinner. The Star Chart was fun for the children and served to develop some good habits without my constant nagging!
A checklist can be used with older children, too. A friend whose teenager had attention deficit disorder told me she was tired of nagging him each night to get things ready for school. I suggested she make a checklist of the things he needed to do, and let him check the items off himself. The checklist could do the nagging and not her!
I've created checklists to help me prepare for classes and seminars. One checklist has the various preparation steps, and another, the many things I need to bring on the day of the class.
The use of a packing checklist for travel can streamline the packing process and help to ensure that needed items are not forgotten.
A packing checklist can be invaluable for a first-time experience such as going off to college. When my first child went to college, I created a packing checklist of essential items because I knew that there would be no Longs Drug handy. When his roommate needed a needle and thread to sew a badge on his ROTC uniform, my son had them.
His roommate told him that he must be the most prepared freshman in college! As a faraway mother, I felt peaceful knowing he wouldn't have to scramble for basic items.
Are there any areas in your life at work or at home where a checklist would be handy? If so, take a few minutes and create one. It will take a little time, but it will save you time and trouble in the long run.
See you in two weeks!
Note: For students going off to college: Find Ruth Wong's Packing Checklist in her "Survival Guide for College-Bound Students" booklet ($5.99) available at Borders (Ward Centre and Waikele), Logos BookStore and the Giving Tree.
"It's About Time," by Ruth Wong, owner of Organization Plus, runs the fourth Friday of each month. Contact her at "It's About Time," care of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813; or e-mail features@starbulletin.com