Your own task manager

Have you gone on a college vacation only to discover that you did not pack your blue sweater? Since checklists are such an ubiquitous part of my daily life, I decided to examine the research behind their utility and hear from another checklist aficionado. Gawande cites research carried out by critical care specialist, Peter Pronovost of Johns Hopkins Hospital, who convinced doctors and nurses in ICU to devise their own checklists. Gawande himself was astounded by the results — deaths after surgery fell by 47 per cent and the number of patients who developed major complications also reduced significantly. As checklists are easy to create, you can use them in various facets of your life from making a list of chapters to study for an exam, people you need to call for a friend’s surprise birthday to documents you need to carry for a job interview.