Take A Tip From Santa – Make A List and Check it Twice

It seems as though once Halloween has come and passed, it is a mere blink of an eye before you are on to turkey, gifts, get-togethers, and New Year’s resolutions. Those eight weeks seem to fly by quicker than any other time of the year, at least to me. Last weekend, while I was unpacking decorations, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” played on the radio. As I gleefully sang along, I realized Santa Claus is a genius!

“He’s making a list
Checking it twice”

Making a list – brilliant! Good Old Saint Nick has organization down to a T; selecting all those presents, wrapping and delivering them all in one night?! Santa Claus must be incredibly organized and unbelievably efficient! That Kris Kringle definitely has some serious productivity secrets. I think I discovered one of them: he always “makes his list and checks it twice.”

Three simple tips to the art of effective list making:

Keep it Elf-like – SHORT & SWEET

Santa’s “Naughty or Nice” list is probably a trillion pages long, but he’s had a long time to practice and perfect his list. Your to-do list needs only the most important tasks that MUST be completed that day. This will prevent you from being overwhelmed. A short list will allow you to prioritize and focus on the essentials. Think to yourself, if you could only do one thing today, what would it be? Make this the first thing on your list.

Take a Page from Santa’s Book – PLAN AHEAD

While you are most likely not managing a village of elves or magically making reindeer fly, it is important to be prepared for the day ahead. Write your to do list the night before. This way you will start your day with clarity. You’ll know exactly which tasks you need to complete and by when.

Reindeer didn’t Learn to Fly In one Night – PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Rudolph practically ran himself to the ground learning to fly. As with any good habit, practice makes perfect. The more you practice creating your to-do list, the quicker and easier it will come. Plus, the wonderful satisfaction of checking off tasks will make you want to create an effective list every day!

Even though Santa can fly around the world in a sleigh pulled by reindeer, he still makes a list. He knows bringing joy to the world is a big job so he must keep track of the important details. While you might not be quite as busy as Santa this holiday season, you can still take a tip from him – make your lists and check them twice. You’ll be glad you did!