Add stress relief to the list

By John Howell
Posted 1/31/17

Carol calls it the “stress reliever.” I’m not convinced that making lists can do that, but it is a start if there’s a lot weighing on your mind or a lot to be accomplished.

I can vouch for …

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Add stress relief to the list

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Carol calls it the “stress reliever.” I’m not convinced that making lists can do that, but it is a start if there’s a lot weighing on your mind or a lot to be accomplished.

I can vouch for lists when it comes to the refrigerator. When Carol is off for a day or two, she’ll leave me a list of what I can find in that cavern of jars, plastic containers and things wrapped in plastic baggies. It’s a huge help, especially when she also provides directions such as “You’ll find it in the crisper” or look for the “black plastic container from Dave’s.” Without that, I’m lost.

When it comes to finding food, or for that matter visiting the supermarket, having a list is extremely helpful.

Stress?

Well, having that list in the market certainly makes it easier than trying to recollect everything from memory. So, it makes shopping more of a perfunctory task, although rarely does either of us stick to the list. In fact, deviation from the list introduces an element of surprise that is an argument for the serendipitous and a trait markets have long sought to capitalize on – impulse buying. I did it Saturday. Carol asked me to stop on the way home and pick up eggs. I returned with eggs and flowers. Dave’s has flowers right as you walk in. Actually, so does Stop & Shop. A coincidence? Doubtful. They’re there to break the list.

But other lists can weigh heavily, especially when the tasks enumerated take time to accomplish and it becomes obvious some things are going to have to wait. That’s like wait for another day and for another list.

There’s yet another phenomenon that I can’t break. It’s what I’ll call the “tree effect.”

Take the shopping list, for example. Well, when I started with eggs that triggered the reminder that it is the Chinese year of the rooster and that Han Palace would be featuring a lion dance on Sunday to celebrate the New Year. But then, wasn’t that at the same time Billy Gilman would be making an appearance at Balise? And, oh yes, shouldn’t I be getting back to a cousin who I promised to call?

One branch brought me to the next and so on until there are multiple priorities.

Just the thought of it all had me looking for a pen and paper early Sunday morning. I better put together a list.

I started off with four items. In less than three minutes I was up to 14. The day wasn’t going to be long enough. The tree was growing and it would have grown more had Ollie not come to the rescue.

He wasn’t on my list, but it was apparent he wanted to go out and there was no delaying that. And even though the sun had yet to rise – the day was just beginning – he was ready for a tug-of-war with his pullie. Playing with the dog wasn’t on the list either, nor for that matter was breakfast.

Now the eggs came into play. I found some parsley still growing in the garden (not on my list) and Carol fixed a delicious omelet. Ollie was attentive. He knew he would be getting the omelet mixing dish and, of course, our plates when ready. The day showed promise. There was a break in the clouds; sunlight filled the dining room.

“What have you got today?” Carol inquired.

“I put together a list,” I announced proudly. She was impressed. I was following her suggestion. I cited some of the 14 tasks and then paused. More things were coming to mind. I’d better add them to the list.

Carol picked up on my hesitation.

“You haven’t seen my list?” I asked. “It was just here.”

I laughed as the thought struck me that I should have started the list with “don’t lose the list.”

And then I thought, why not start it, “be sure to lose this list?”

That should really relieve stress.

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