The List

We all love lists apparently. There are few things in life more satisfying than pulling out The List and crossing off a particularly onerous chore recently completed. The busier I am the more childish the satisfaction that this gives me.

Merlin Mann of the fantastic 43 Folders describes the danger that comes with not having 'ubiquitous capture' when you rely on To Do lists. The more you depend on The List, especially an electronic one, the greater the need for all tasks to appear on said List.

If The List is unreliable then sooner or later you will get blindsided. Then you stop trusting The List. Then why have one at all?

Like I said, I'm frantic right now and yet according to my List I'm on schedule with projects in at least six time zones. Do I trust it (ie 'me')? Or do I revert to that old producers' maxim: -

Total paranoia is total awareness