---
date: '2024-02-28'
title: 'Everything is a checklist'
description: 'The author ruminates on routine, mental health and productibity.'
tags: ['health', 'productivity']
---
Everything, *everything*, can be a checklist.

- &check; Wake up at 4:15am
- &check; Start exercising by 4:30am
  - &check; Throw TV or movie on in the background
  - &check; Aim for 1600+ calories, be satisfied with anything over 800
- &check; Finish exercising by 6:35am
<!-- excerpt -->
- &check; Check off what was watched on [Trackt](https://trakt.tv)
- &check; AirPods in, start an audiobook or text to speech in [Readwise Reader](https://readwise.io/read)[^1]
- &check; Check [Todoist](https://todoist.com)
  - &check; Make coffee
  - &check; Feed all 4 dogs
  - &check; Feed the guinea pig
  - &check; Do dishes
  - &check; Start laundry
  - &check; Take medication
  - &check; Drop the kiddo off at school
- &check; Check my calendar
- &check; Start music
- &check; Start work
  - &check; Meetings
  - &check; Code reviews
  - &check; Tickets in, tickets out
- &check; Pick the kiddo up from school
- &check; Finish work
- &check; Hang out with the family[^2]

*Check, check, check, clear the queue, close the rings, get to zero.*

I know this looks neurotic, it is neurotic because *I'm* neurotic. I always have been, or at least as long as I can remember.

I've got anxiety and this helps me cope with it — other things do too, but routine is important and, when you get right down it it, that routine is a series of boxes that get checked.[^3]

*Check, check, check, clear the queue, close the rings, get to zero.*

> "I'm on a good mixture, I don't wanna to waste it"
> - The National, *City Middle*

[^1]: At 2x, [sorry Keenan](https://gkeenan.co/avgb/hot-take-its-okay-if-we-dont-consume-all-of-the-worlds-information-before-we-die).
[^2]: This is the **BEST** part.
[^3]: This also explains a why I have ~37,000 completed tasks in [Todoist](https://todoist.com).