The Advantages & Disadvantages of Using a Checklist

Checklists are an effective way to get things accomplished, but they can also create problems. Your success depends on the length of the checklist and your personality. Lists might help one person feel more organised, while others will feel overwhelmed or frustrated. Some people enjoy the tangible aspects of creating a list, while others ignore the list once it is created and focus on their thoughts instead. The key to effectively using a checklist is creating a list method that works for you.

Checklists put everything you need to do right in front of you. You can see the beginning, middle and end of what needs to be done. Though this helps some people tackle tasks in front of them, it can also be distracting. If you are the type who prefers to take things one step at a time, you might feel overwhelmed by a checklist. Detail-oriented people might struggle with a large collection of items, while big-picture people might excel using a checklist.

Checklists organise what needs to be accomplished so nothing is forgotten. Detail-oriented people might enjoy having a definite path through their day. Creating a checklist in the morning gives your day direction. However, organising a checklist might be too time-consuming. Some people get caught up in the details of the list when they should have been focused on actual work. If you find yourself too focused on list-making, try accomplishing a few of the tasks and then return to creating the list.

Checklists let you put tasks in order so you can accomplish the most important things first. Once you have put things in writing though, you might feel pressured to complete the tasks in order. This can slow you down. Some people work better when they can jump from task to task and let their emotions guide them. A checklist might impede their emotion. However, if you truly need to finish certain tasks before moving to new ones, a checklist will keep you focused and on-track.

Checklists make it easy to delegate tasks if someone offers to help you. If you are lucky enough to have assistance, you can refer to your list and know what to ask them to do right away. You can even share your list with them and let them pick what appeals to them. The disadvantage to delegating in this way is losing control when other people choose what they want to do. If you are concerned about giving away easy tasks and getting stuck with the challenges, keep your list to yourself.