Hugely therapeutic or a sneaky way to procrastinate your way through the day? As a study shows women love writing them, successful multi-taskers reveal the cathartic power of a to-do list

The ex-editor of Vogue Alexandra Shulman, 65 The day has begun. Tomorrow, I'm going away for a few days, so I need to make a packing list or I'll arrive at my destination with no phone charger or toothpaste, writes Daisy Buchanan Life often feels overwhelming, and lists help me feel in control. The procrastinator Marion McGilvary, 65 Oh, I love a list; I have lots of them - on Post-it notes, my phone, on my desk, on the fridge, and in odd places dotted around the house like confetti at a very organised wedding, writes Marion McGilvary I still convince myself I have a photographic memory and the very act of writing something down will solidify it into my brain. I am the Usain Bolt of to-do lists, training for years to perfect the art of The List, writes Clare Foges Often, I go through two or three different versions of my current list: sometimes they are colour-coded and even categorised by subject. I wake up in the small hours and mentally start listing my next set of tasks, usually prompted by something popping into my head, writes Helena Morrissey My next day's list usually starts in the middle of the night.