Waqt per kaam karne ka sha-ur humne seekh liya
Azmaish zamane ka taur tareeka bhi sikha hi degi
Fehrist lambi ho chali hai tere waadon ki, Zindagi
Dum todne se pehle jeena ka saleeka sikha hi degi…
The other day a student of my class got into a heated argument with me over the issue of submission of assignment work. The boy insisted that he was late in submitting the assignment by only one day and therefore I must accommodate him like some of the other teachers who accept even after weeks and months past the deadline. I told him that it was not my style of working. I am a stickler for timelines and deadlines.
There have been very few occasions in my life, so far that I can remember, when I failed to submit a project or assignment or complete my work within the stipulated timeline. The secret to my adherence, I often tell people, is my habit of making a ‘To-do list’ every day and sometimes even twice a day. I always carry a notepad or a diary in my bag that basically carries no information, not even my name or contact number, but my to-do list.
I usually begin my day by jotting down the date on a fresh page of my diary and then making a list of errands that I have to run not only on that particular day but for the coming days too. Every few hours, I keep referring to my list to remind myself of the tasks at hand. Hence, I stick to my routine and finish my work often before the desired date. Also, this way I don’t have to set reminders or alarms in my mobile phone.
Time and again, I have been advised by tech-savvy friends and family to shift my allegiance to my mobile phone and curate my to-do list on my handy instrument rather than filling in numerous pages of my diary or notepad. ‘Go eco-friendly’, ‘Go paperless’ they chant. But, this is where I put my foot down. I remain loyal to my pen and paper based list for two very basic reasons.
One, the joy of ticking off the accomplished task from the list is incomparable to deleting it from the screen of your mobile. Once you delete the agenda from your mobile-made list, you are left with an empty space whereas when you tick off or strike through the entire list on paper, you are left with an inexplicable and unparalleled sense of accomplishment at having completed so many tasks. It makes your day worthwhile in the end.
Two, most of our day-to-day activities have become paperless- banking, writing, communication, billing and even reading. In such a scenario, the feel of the pen between your fingers and the touch of smooth paper, in a way, keeps you grounded and humane. Gone are the days when we used to write elaborate and sometimes ornate letters to friends and family and most of us are past days of taking notes or writing exams. Therefore, even if only for a few minutes, making a to-do list on paper revives the art of writing and one stays in practice.
Still, mulling over whether or not to make a to-do list?
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