Bored? Make a `to do' list, then make a big to-do over it
By Beth Teitell
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
We Americans are so sneaky, aren't we? Over the past few days, I've been interviewing people about their ``to do'' lists. And you know what I've discovered? Almost everyone cheats.
You can't believe the malfeasance out there. And we thought Enron was bad. ``What I like to do,'' one businesswoman whispered into the phone, ``is put things down that I've already done. Then I check them off.''
If that isn't a scam, I don't know what is.
Although the creator of the todo list obviously intended his invention for unappealing chores (``scrub grout,'' ``write thank-you letters''), a lack of enforcement means people are stacking the lists in their favor, listing things they want to do, all to earn those coveted check marks. ``Go out for beers with Joe.'' Check. ``Watch `Desperate Housewives.' '' Check. ``Write `to do' list.'' The gall!
But it gets worse. Some people use the list as an alibi, as if they were a politician or a corporation trying to create a paper trail in case they get snagged for negligence. You can hear their protests as their spouse lays into them for not calling the roof guy, again: ``But it's on my list.'' (Although, I guess that cuts both ways. To list something is to show prior knowledge.)
Similarly, many lists seem to exist for show purposes only. It's as if the lister is trying to fool herself. ``Set up dental appointment.'' ``Get credit reports.'' ``Bring in car for maintenance check.'' ``Shun carbs.''
A recent poll conducted for the ``To Do'' industry (OK, I made that up; I commissioned the poll myself) found that many items on the list are never even attempted, but rather rolled over, from list to list, until the item in question becomes moot. It's the layperson's pocket veto. You can't write a thank-you note for a box of two truffles six months late.
So why do we continue to list? I did a bit of research: To list something is to assert power over it. To organize is to tame. To find and smooth receipts for tax purposes is the first step toward timely filing. To prioritize is to blah, blah, blah.
We list because that's what grownups do. Period. It's what you're taught. Who would trust someone who didn't keep lists?
Of course, it's important to put the right things on your list. My online research took me to the Web site www.todolistmagazine.com. Alas, the magazine has suspended publication, pending an influx of funding.
Hmm. You mean no one checked off ``raise cash'' on their to do list?
