Ah, the lowly list. In today's world of Palm Pilots and iPhones it's easy to overlook the Chinese dc power adapters for sale value of a good old pen and pad of paper. And yet the simple list can be one of the best time management tools you can use.

I'm not talking here about lists for project management, long term planning or organizing your life. What I am talking about is using a list to get you moving on those days you feel stuck or overwhelmed or have forgotten what it is you want in a particular situation. In these cases the act of jotting a few notes on the back of an envelope can mean the difference between being productive and spinning your wheels all afternoon. Some examples of where simple lists can be extremely helpful include:

Feeling like you have a million things to do and you can't seem to get moving or get anything started - Write down what you have to do. Make it specific. Feed the cat, go to the post office, make dinner, water the plants, balance checkbook, etc. Yes these tasks are incredibly simple but when you have 30 of them swimming around in your head it's easy to feel overwhelmed because there's just so much to do! Get them out of your head and on to paper, then as you cross them off you'll feel like you really accomplished something.

Having tons of errands to run and then forgetting to do the most important one - I do this all the time! So when I have more than a couple places to go I make a list. Writing down where you are going and what you need to do there will help you plan the most efficient route and eliminate backtracking and unneeded trips.

Taking care of other people's stuff - As much as we all love our families, the truth is it's impossible to keep track of everyone's stuff all the time. So when your child needs materials for a school assignment or your spouse needs you to do this and that or a friend asks you for a favor then write it down. It really saves time and disappointment, not to mention late night runs to the store to pick up those snacks your kid needs for the class party tomorrow!

Party and event planning - My mom has been throwing parties for years, and she still sticks a menu on the refrigerator and the checks things off as she puts them on the serving table. This simple thing eliminates a lot of worry and stress over forgetting something and allows you to enjoy the party as much as your guests do.

In addition to getting things out of your head so your brain isn't all muddled up trying to remember details, a list can act as an accountability partner, reminding you of things you've been avoiding. I've made lists like Top 10 Things I've Been Putting Off and just seeing them every time I go in the kitchen (or where ever I've posted them) irritates me just enough to get me to take action.