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Welcome to another edition of the 1% Habits Newsletter!

This is where you’ll get up-to-date information on small wins to improve your habits, productivity, and life satisfaction. 

Let’s get to it.

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As I’ve mentioned in previous emails, I’m on a family vacation in Canada until the end of August. And like most family trips, there are plenty of little moments that stick with you more than the big attractions.

One of those moments happened as we were packing up to leave one of our rental homes. I noticed my son sitting on the floor with a pen and a piece of paper, carefully looking over his stuffed animals. When I asked what he was doing, he proudly told me he had made a checklist to make sure he didn’t forget to pack any of them when we moved to the next place.

Here’s what it looked like:

Talk about a proud dad moment. Not only was he taking responsibility for something important to him, but he was also instinctively using one of the most powerful productivity tools out there — the humble checklist. Seeing him embrace this simple system reminded me of how valuable checklists are, not just for kids keeping track of stuffed animals, but for all of us trying to stay on top of routines and responsibilities.

That moment made me think of an email I sent last year about the importance of checklists. Since I’m on vacation (and giving myself permission to be a little lazy), I thought this would be the perfect time to resend it.

📈 Mastering the Art of Checklists for Routine Tasks

In our fast-paced world, essential tasks often slip through the cracks.

Forgetting just one detail can lead to setbacks and stress. Managing multiple responsibilities can overwhelm anyone.

But as someone who juggles multiple responsibilities, I’ve found that creating checklists is indispensable across various aspects of my life.

Whether I'm packing for family trips, writing books, doing my taxes, or even crafting emails for this list, checklists help me stay organized and efficient.

The humble checklist is a simple yet powerful tool to ensure consistency and completeness in any process.

Why Checklists are Helpful

After reading Atul Gawande's insightful book, The Checklist Manifesto, I was inspired to integrate checklists throughout my daily routine. This simple yet powerful approach demonstrated to me how even seasoned professionals can greatly benefit from the use of checklists.

Checklists help organize tasks and ensure that nothing is forgotten. By breaking down a process into individual steps, checklists make it easy to follow and complete each task correctly.

They reduce cognitive load, allowing you to focus on doing the actions to complete a task rather than having to summon each step from memory. This method is not only effective for daily personal use but also in professional settings where precision is critical, such as in aviation and healthcare.

For instance, when packing for a family trip, a checklist ensures that nothing essential is left behind. From passports and tickets to toiletries and snacks, every item has its place on the list, reducing last-minute stress and the likelihood of forgetting something important.

Similarly, when writing a book, a checklist helps in tracking the progress of each chapter, ensuring that research, drafting, and editing are systematically handled.

So let’s talk about how to take action on this simple idea.

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How to Get Started

Step 1: Identify the Task

Start by pinpointing the repeatable task you want to streamline. It could be anything from preparing a weekly report to conducting a safety check.

Step 2: Break Down the Steps

Describe each step involved in completing the task. Make sure the steps are clear and to the point, leaving no room for ambiguity.

For example, here is a partial list of the steps that I take to complete my business taxes:

1. Identify people who I need to send out 1099s

2. Get W-9s for each person

3. Total up 1099s of person

4. Send out 1099s to each person

5. Total up the expenditures from Chase

6. Total up my earnings for my main business

7. Total up my earnings for my other side businesses

8. Total up my other expenditures

9. Totals for property taxes and interest payments

10. Total up expenditures from American Express

11. Total up expenditures from Receipts

12. Total up expenditures from PayPal

13. Total up expenditures from mileage

See how each of these items is a simple action that can be completed in less than an hour?

That’s how you break down any process into a simple checklist.

Step 3: Choose Your Tool

Decide where to store your checklist. Digital tools like Google Sheets, Todoist, Evernote, or Notion are excellent choices. They allow easy access, updates, and sharing with team members if necessary.

For instance, using Todoist for daily work tasks can help prioritize and track progress, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks.

Now, if you prefer the pen and paper approach, you could use our Minimalist To-Do List Printable Template.

Step 4: Test and Refine Your Checklist

Once you have your checklist in place, use it a few times and note any areas for improvement.

Are there steps that need to be more detailed?

Are there unnecessary steps that can be removed?

Are there any actions that need to be added?

Continuous refinement will make your checklist more effective over time.

For example, when packing for trips, you might realize you consistently forget to include phone chargers, prompting you to add it to your list.

Step 5: Make It a Habit

The final step is to integrate the use of checklists into your daily routine. Consistently using checklists will help you develop a habit that ensures tasks are completed accurately and efficiently.

Set reminders to check your lists regularly, especially for tasks that are not daily but still recurring.

Over time, this habit will become second nature, and you’ll find yourself more organized and less stressed.

Final Thoughts on Checklists

By creating and regularly updating checklists, you not only make sure that each task is done correctly every time but also save time and reduce stress. Start small by identifying a few repeatable tasks and create your first checklists today.

Over time, you'll find that this simple habit can lead to significant improvements in your efficiency and peace of mind.

So, give your memory a break and start the habit of making checklists for efficiency and peace of mind. Take action now and experience the transformative power of this 1% habit in your daily life.

Talk soon,

Steve

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