Tag Archive for: List Producer

Jorge Posada Should Have Used a List

I’ll be the first to say — I’m not a sports fan.  But I’m married to a sports anchor so I need to be somewhat informed about what’s going on in the sports world.  So I know some serious stuff went down with Jorge Posada and the Yankees this past weekend.

Since starting this blog people who aren’t list makers have been giving it a try — including my husband!  Here’s his take on why Jorge Posada (or anyone facing a difficult situation really) would have benefited from doing the same thing.

Jorge Posada Should Have Used a List

by Jay Berman

New York Yankees aging star Jorge Posada might have been better served with a “cooler heads prevail”-type checklist this past Saturday night. Instead — the selfish jock made a mockery of the sport, his bosses, his teammates, and the fans by asking out of the line-up due to his disapproval of his scheduled spot in the batting order. Ironic how the man with the most experience on the sports most celebrated team shows his true colors by acting immature and childish.

Of course, a quandary of this magnitude, could have been easily avoided with the proper checklist! Read more

Grey’s Anatomy Docs use Checklists…And so do Real Docs

By now I hope that you’re caught up on your DVR..because I’m going to talk about last Thursday’s Grey’s Anatomy episode. Don’t worry – there won’t be any spoilers. But I will tell you that one of the doctors brought attention to one of my favorite things…a checklist!

Over eager Dr. April Kepner bounced through the halls pestering Dr. Christina Yang about using a checklist to make sure all the protocol was met for one of their patient’s care. Dr. Kepner explained that the checklist has been used in aviation for years and helps to cut out human error.

It’s true – I just finished reading “The Checklist Manifesto” by Dr. Atul Gawande and he notes that airline pilots fill out pre-flight checklists and have crisis checklists incase anything goes wrong in flight. Read more

Medicine Hunter Travels the World with a List

Since starting this blog I’ve realized — I’m not alone in this list making thing. There are many other notable list makers out there to learn from.  Each month I’ll be featuring a successful “list producer” to prove that list making will help you to achieve more in life.

My very first featured “list producer” is Chris Kilham — better known as the Medicine Hunter.  Chris travels all over the world looking for natural remedies and healing plants.  I’ve produced many segments with Chris and we’ve become good friends through the years. To say his work is fascinating is an understatement.  Whether he’s traveling to Siberia or the Amazon — Chris never leaves home without a list!

Q: Why do you call yourself a compulsive list producer?

A: I would say that I am a consistent list maker. Over the years I have found that if I make lists, I can be more focused and get more done. So lists greatly enhance my overall efficiency. Read more

List Making Will Save Your Brain

Since starting this blog I’ve realized I’m not alone in my list-making compulsion!  Many people have reached out saying they are also list freaks.  But with that said — we are actually on to something here.  List making is actually good for your brain!

I want to thank my very first guest blogger — memory expert Cynthia R. Green, Ph.D — for this entry!

Why List Making Will Save Your Brain

By Cynthia R. Green, Ph.D

Cynthia R. Green Ph.D.

Cynthia R. Green Ph.D.

Memory tools, such as list making, force us to pay closer attention to the information we need to remember, and they give that information meaning by placing it an organizational scheme. In addition, they let us control what we need to remember by giving us the opportunity to review it.

Here are my top five reasons why list making is beneficial:

1. Lists get us to pay attention to things we need to remember. Using lists, just like using any technique to boost your brainpower, will focus your attention more actively on the information you need to remember. Why? When we work with information, we pay closer attention to it.

2. Lists help us remember the things we need to remember — but not memorize. Read more

4 Lists for Stress-Free Travel

Willis Tower / Sears TowerMy recent trip to Chicago reminded me just how important having a list is when traveling. I know it sounds super nerdy – but doing a little homework before you leave will guarantee an easy and stress-free journey. I usually start crafting up my lists a week in advance (or more if I’m really excited about the trip!).

These are the 4 travel lists I NEVER leave home without:

1. Itinerary

This is an itemized list of everything you will do on your trip. Run through each day in your mind and visualize what you’ll be doing. Then write down a brief description or note about each event. That way you can prepare by making reservations, packing the appropriate clothes and making the most of the time you have at your destination.

Read more