Photo by Courtnie Tosana on Unsplash
When was the last time that you went on a camping trip with some good friends?
I recently went on a trip to the Adirondacks, in upstate NY, with some buddies and we decided that this was going to be a “survival” campout. No food, no water, and no modern firemaking tools. Thankfully a magnesium strip works as well, or better than a lighter, and the fish were biting! Even with our good fortune, we still had to work all day to keep the fire stoked, water boiled, and food in our bellies. It was a lot of work for very little gain, yet we all realized something very special about working so hard to simply meet our basic needs.
I believe that we are programmed, in our DNA, to work and be productive. The very act of completing a task gives us a positive feeling. The reason is that whenever you recognize a task or project as completed, your brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is responsible for generating feelings of accomplishment, satisfaction and happiness. Importantly, it does not appear that these good feelings are associated with the scope or complexity of the completed task. Consider the book "Make Your Bed" by Admiral William H. McRaven in which he states that by starting your day with the success of a completed task, in this case making up your bed, you have primed yourself to be more successful and happier for the balance of the day.
Now, consider the opposite of completing tasks and how that might make you feel. A major source of anxiety comes from unresolved commitments or incomplete tasks. Psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik’s research showed that the human mind hates unfinished tasks. Zeigarnik theorized that incomplete tasks incite “psychic tension”. As long as the task is left unfinished, your brain is in an uncomfortable position. Examples include cliffhanger endings in movies, a dropped phone call, or being interrupted as you try to shoot off an important work email because someone wants a bowl of cereal (thanks ‘Rona)!
It appears that these two psychological states are really just opposite sides of the same coin. Complete task, feel good. Don’t complete task, don’t feel good. Of course there are a lot of complexities in life, but to some degree it really is that simple. Furthermore, we can magnify our ability to complete tasks (and therefore feel good) by adding a basic checklist.
On my campout, the checklist was basic but nonetheless real. Gather firewood, boil water, catch/cook fish, and repeat. Your daily checklist can definitely be more complex but it doesn’t have to be to start. Simply make a list of the important, but mundane, tasks that you already complete everyday. Brush teeth, get dressed, make coffee… etc. Check off these items as you complete them. It might feel silly but by starting with easy things will help you to develop a habit that will help you to accomplish hard or complete tasks. Give this a try yourself starting today or tomorrow.
But why? Why should I add a daily practice of creating simple checklists, to mark off upon completion, when it feels like I need to address much greater challenges? This might be the question you are asking yourself. Maybe you are unemployed and need to find a new job or maybe you are struggling with how to do your job given the challenges of Covid. These are big and important things and this is exactly why you should consider adding the daily checklist. Think about the real psychological benefits and risks as presented early. A simple checklist and its associated completed tasks are an insurance policy against negative feelings, thoughts, and actions. It costs you almost nothing yet can provide real protection.
And this is the point. We are experiencing a lot of dramatic and unsettling change. It doesn’t matter what you believe or what your opinion is, you are feeling the stress regardless. If you want something big, perhaps it is up to you to take care of the small. Take care of the details and benefit disproportionately by recognizing them as complete tasks. Make yourself more confident and stronger so you are ready for change. I will do this with you. I will make a checklist today. Thankfully it will not include gathering firewood, boiling water, or needing to catch breakfast. :)
Written by: Austin Meyermann, Founder and President of Hunter Crown, LLC
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