Thursday, November 13, 2008

The Checklist

I am not now, nor have I ever been, a morning person. Unfortunately for me, I've had a lot of day jobs over the years (and have one now), so I've had to come up with a lot of crutches.
I have to hit the snooze button at least three times before I can persuade myself to get out of bed in the morning, so I can sneak up on the day. And I keep the alarm clock set 18 minutes fast - just enough so that I can't do the math in my head unless I'm awake enough to get up anyway. And I have to get up early enough to allow for the consumption of half a pot of coffee, since I shouldn't be allowed to drive until I'm fully caffeinated...
My most important tool is new - it's The Checklist.
I have a little litany I run through each morning on my way out the door, to make sure I have everything I need to attack the day.
When I first started this job, the list was short.
Glasses*, lunch, carkeys, coffee.
(*They're reading glasses. I need them at work, but it's easier to see to drive without them. When they're not on my nose, I keep them parked on top my head. Glasses parked on top of my head and glasses not parked on top of my head can feel remarkably similar.)
Then I needed to be able to tie my hair back at some point in the workday.
Glasses, lunch, hairtie, carkeys, coffee
Then I had to buy a watch, since I needed to keep track of time, but couldn't see the clock.
So:
Glasses, watch, lunch, hairtie, carkeys, coffee.
Then the list expanded to
Glasses, watch, matching shoes*, lunch, hairtie, carkeys, coffee.
(*I'd been at work for a couple of hours one day before I noticed that, though my shoes were both white sneakers, they were from two different pairs of white sneaker. Obviously different pairs of white sneakers. Being me, I immediately had to go tell everyone. "Psst, look at my shoes...")
Then I got the cellphone.
Glasses, watch, matching shoes, lunch, hairtie, carkeys, coffee, cellphone.
Then I caught Madman's Killer Cold.
Glasses, watch, matching shoes, lunch, hairtie, carkeys, coffee, cellphone, coughdrops, tissues.

I'm now in a holding pattern with that checklist. Hopefully I won't have to add anything else to it, or I'll have to get up even earlier just in order to have time to rattle off the list.

And I think The Checklist may be contagious. The other day when Madman was heading out the door, I heard him muttering "Glasses, watch, carkeys..."

2 comments:

Anna M said...

I have a similar list for my husband. Wedding ring, spectacles, wallet and glasses. It comes from an old crude ditty about making the sign of the cross when you are catholic.

Lists are a good thing, especially as I get older!

Laurie said...

Very funny! I'm at four on the snooze alarm hits. And sometimes, it's just better to set it all up (the list stuff) the night before.