Tool for Success | List Producer

The To-Do List of a Genius

June 5, 2012/0 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Fellow List Producers, Learning With a List, List Making, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

The Thomas Edison Papers at Rutgers University

What’s on your to-do list today? Pick up groceries? Get your car washed? Go to a few meetings? Get ready to be “one upped” by a genius. Enter…Thomas Edison’s to-do list.

On his list of “things doing and to be done,” the 41-year-old wrote:

Deaf apparatus
Electrical piano
Artificial silk
Phonographic clock
Ink for Blind

Just a few things to get done before lunch…really…

This list was created around 1888 and can be seen in The Papers of Thomas A. Edison: Losses and Loyalties — the seventh volume of Rutgers University’s digitized Edison papers.

Add Edison to the long list of famous and successful list-makers like John Lennon, Johnny Cash and Ronald Reagan. They’ve proved that keeping to-do lists will make you successful. Keep listing!

6 Productivity To-Don’ts

May 31, 2012/3 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Boost Memory, Decision Making, Home, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, List Making, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

Some of my favorite productivity tips include:

Making a to-do list
Taking breaks
Bribing yourself with manicures and ice cream

But sometimes the secret to being more efficient is knowing what NOT to do. I’ve compiled a few productivity to-don’ts that will help you get more done. Read more

Checklist for Moving With Your Pet

May 30, 2012/4 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Boost Memory, Decision Making, Guest Posts, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, List Making, Pets, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success, Travel/by Paula Rizzo

Moving is always a pain – no matter how you slice it.

Help your Pet Adjust to a New Home

by Aaron Hill

Before the big day

Site survey. If it’s a local move, take your pup over to the new place a few times before you officially move in. Let them sniff their new digs and get the lay of the land before changing addresses. Read more

Organize Everyone’s Birthday

May 29, 2012/4 Comments/in Apps, Benefits of List Making, Boost Memory, Holidays, List Making, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

How do you remember everyone’s birthday? It’s really difficult but if you have a system in place you can be the star of the family or your circle of friends!

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I use a list to track everyone’s birthdays throughout the year. I document all the birthdays and I have reminders emailed to me, so I know weeks in advance if a birthday is coming up so I can plan accordingly.

Now that I’m totally addicted to my iPhone — I need an app for everything! So I went in search of one and I found Birthday Calendar. This is essential if you want to be organized and have everyone’s birthday in one spot. Read more

List, Lists & More Lists

May 25, 2012/0 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Boost Memory, Decision Making, Reduce Stress, Relationships, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success, Uncategorized/by Paula Rizzo

I can’t help myself — I have to make lists about everything. Planning trips, buying gifts, things to do, goals I have, restaurants I like, questions to ask, etc. etc. etc. So I’ve compiled some of my lists (and guests’ lists too) all in one place as a reference for you.

Check out my lists page and feel free to print them up and take them with you — to look for an apartment, to buy a bra, be a better parent or pack for a trip. I’m always working to improve and add to these lists. Please let me know if there are any you’d like me to find for you and I’ll track down the best expert with some tips. Or I’ll make the list myself — being that I love it so much. Hope you find these helpful!