There’s something strangely satisfying about making a list.
Maybe it’s the satisfaction of condensing nebulous thoughts into concrete words. So many memories, emotions, and experiences just float around in the brain. When you can create a barnyard of sorts with separate pens and enclosures for them to be happily sorted into a wonderful sensation of order and peace ensues. Does anyone else feel that?
I like to think that just like consolidated moisture clouds condense to form rain our thoughts can be organized into various notes and lists. Just like consolidated moisture (falling rain) makes plants and trees grow, our consolidated intentions, feelings, and thoughts can make wonderful things grow in our own life.
If you’re someone who appreciates analytical evidence more than the subjective descriptions above, there are also some legitimate psychological benefits that seem to accompany the practice of list making.
According to Carrie Barron MD at Psychology Today, list making isn’t just fun and relieving – it can genuinely deliver you from emotions of feeling overwhelmed, lighten and lift your mood, and prepare you psychologically to solve problems and obtain more of what you’re seeking in life.
According to her analysis, six huge benefits come to those who make lists:
- Lists provide a psychological structure where subjects and problems can be understood and correctly labeled.
- Lists foster the ability to prioritize, select, and organize. Feeling like you have your life ordered in neat bins naturally produces a feeling of wellness and peace.
- Lists help you separate the useless minutiae of daily life from the things that really matter.
- Lists elucidate possible solutions to issues or problems you have been dealing with.
- Lists combat avoidance patterns in thinking about painful or stressful topics.
- Lists lighten your mental load and make you feel like you don’t have to mentally hold onto as much.
So where and when and how do you need to make these lists? The truth is that it doesn’t really matter. Do it on paper, do it on your phone, do it on your computer if you like. Many people agree that the Todo Cloud app is one of the best places to make and store lists because of the highly organized manner in which it stores and orders your lists and tasks. It lets you set priority rankings, and it sorts mini lists in a bigger one in a highly intuitive way. But there are other great solutions, too
So without further ado, here are 100 of the most fun, enriching, and valuable lists that you can make in order to boost your spirits, better conceptualize your ideal life, and combat feelings of being overwhelmed with stress or anxiety.
Favorites Lists To Make
- List your favorite podcasts
- List your favorite songs
- List your favorite trees and plants
- List your favorite people
- List favorite shopping sites
- List favorite books
- List favorite authors
- List your favorite Singers or Bands
- List your favorite smells
- List your favorite desserts
- List your favorite places in your home
- List your favorite horror or romance movies
- List your favorite quotes
- List your favorite scriptures
- List your favorite products you own
- List your favorite things to talk about
- List your favorite apps or softwares
- List your favorite things about yourself
- List your favorite spring activities
- List your favorite summer activities
- List your favorite autumn activities
- List your favorite winter activities
- List your favorite articles you have read
- List your favorite months of the year
Goals And Dreams Lists To Make
- List the books you want to read
- List the countries you want to go to
- List movies and TV shows you’d like to watch
- List the skills you’d like to learn
- List the foods you would like to try
- List the people you would most like to meet
- List the hobbies you would like to do more of
- List the languages you would most like to learn
- List ways that you can be brave and get out of your comfort zone
- List the big goals you hope you’ve accomplished by the end of your life
- List things you would like to do with your significant other
- List things you would like to do with your kids
- List personal qualities and characteristics you’d like to develop
- List different climates you would like to visit
- List gifts you would like to receive
- List gifts you would like to give
- List your goals for next year
Productivity/Work Lists To Make
- List ways to relax and let go of tension and anxiety
- List ways that you can learn more on a daily basis
- List partnerships and connections that would be valuable to you
- List side gigs or money-making ideas
- List potential mistakes you could make and how you can avoid these mistakes
- List annoying activities you would like to get rid of or solve
- List companies that you admire or like
- List positive attitudes you would like to adopt
- List the things you have to do tomorrow or next week
- List personal weaknesses you’re working on
- List valuable opportunities you hope present themselves
- List your favorite coworkers you’ve had
- List the qualities of a good boss or manager
- List the qualities of a good work meeting
- List the most valuable apps or tools that help you in your life
- List the most educational books you have read
- List the most educational classes or conferences you have attended
- List the most insightful work lessons you have learned
- List all the tasks you have completed this week
Things You’ve Done Lists To Make
- List all the adventures you’ve been on
- List all the countries/cities you’ve been to
- List people who have helped you
- List people you have helped
- List your best childhood memories
- List the problems you’ve solved and the challenges you’ve overcome
- List the things you loved to do as a child
- List the goals you’re most proud of achieving
- List the most memorable meals you’ve eaten
- List the most fun day activities you have done
- List your favorite shopping buys
- List the roommates or close friends that you have had
- List all of the places you have lived
- List all the people you have talked to the most on social media
- List the most challenging recipes you have made
- List the most daring or scary things that you have done
- List the favorite clothes that you have owned
- List the most exotic foods you have tasted
- List your favorite buildings you’ve visited
- List your favorite works of art
Miscellaneous Lists To Make
- List things you worried about that never happened
- List the nicest things people have said about you
- List 20 of the best names for pets
- List what you’d take on a cross country road trip
- List all the things that are overrated
- List all the flowers you can think of
- List movies you’d love to forget about and rewatch
- List everything you think you learned in high school or college
- List crushes you had in grade school
- List your most useful phone apps
- List things you’re grateful for
- List small things you experience that make you feel happy
- List the most important lessons you have learned
- List habits that can make you a healthier, happier person
- List good acts you can do that can help others
- List foods that you want to eat more of
- List foods that you want to eat less of
- List your earliest childhood memories
- List your most embarrassing moments
- List hard things you endured that helped you grow