Are you a list maker?

I am—I admit it.

People often assume I’m organized. Well, I am… but only because I make lists.

I make lists upon lists: grocery lists, to-do lists, lists of conversations to have with my mother, birthday lists… honey-do lists. The list (pun intended) is endless.

I come by it honestly. My mother once told me my grandmother always had a list on the go. And mom’s not one to talk—she has handwritten lists all over the house. She’ll cross off completed items and then rewrite the list on a clean sheet of paper. Me too.

So what is it about lists that we love so much?

For one, there’s a real sense of accomplishment when you take out a red pen and cross something off. I love ripping up a completed list and putting it through the shredder—only to start a fresh “To Do” list minutes later.

We have a running list for Costco and another for local groceries. When something runs out, it goes on the list.

And yes, I still prefer paper. I enjoy writing things down, not typing them into a phone app. I walk around the grocery store with my list in hand, ticking items off with a pen. It’s low-tech, but it works.

There’s a unique little pleasure in physically crossing something off. That act gives your brain a tiny hit of dopamine—a small reward that keeps you motivated. That’s science talking, not just me.

If you haven’t tried handwritten lists in a while, maybe give it a go. You might be surprised how satisfying it feels to draw a big line through “clean kitchen junk drawer”.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go add “Finish blog post about lists” to my list… so I can cross it off.