Life Checklist

How does it work?

The Life Checklist works as a document that breaks actions down into simpler tasks, helping individuals stay accountable. To show you how this works, we have broken down the process into the following steps:

Step 1: Access the checklist 

You can find the Life Checklist Template here for electronic access, or download a printable PDF version using the link below:

Download the Printable Life Checklist Template PDF here.

Step 2: Document your current life status

Reflect on your current life status, noting the significant aspects occupying your day-to-day life. These may include your health, relationships, career, or hobbies. By reflecting on where you are right now, you can begin identifying where you would like to be 

Step 3: Outline your aspirations

Document your future aspirations by envisioning where you would like to see yourself. Think about the goals and actions that will help you achieve these things. 

Step 4: Break down the process

In thinking about your aspirations, goals, and actions, break down the process into smaller tasks or skills to help you get there. These can be documented in the checklist table, and you may use the additional details column to record any resources or information required, as long as any reflections in completing these. 

Step 5: Begin the process

Once you have filled out the template, you can begin the process of ticking things off of the checklist. 

Step 6: Ongoing monitoring

On the journey to beginning something new or taking on new aspirations, it is important to understand that this process is often not linear. Circumstances may change, and plans may need readjusting, so it is essential to remain flexible and use this as a guide rather than a rulebook. 

When would you use this template?

The Life Checklist Template can be used as a resource to devise any checklist to enhance life circumstances or help individuals achieve their aspirations. Although it can be applied broadly for a range of reasons, here are some common scenarios where this template may be useful:

Achieving aspirations

Individuals with certain goals or aspirations to alter their current life circumstances may use this template to document the necessary steps required to do so. They can begin making action plans by reducing the goal into simpler, manageable steps. 

Developmental milestones

In pediatric care, health practitioners such as pediatric doctors or nurses may use the Life Checklist Template to develop a developmental milestone checklist. This may include key development during infancy and childhood, such as paying attention to faces or grasping, which are fundamental to assessing where an infant or child may grow. 

Documenting progress

The checklist can be used as a means of keeping track of progress and developments within an individual’s life. This can be useful for the individual to reflect on their journey and may also be effective for health practitioners to track their client’s progress. 

Enhancing health and wellbeing

Health practitioners and their clients may use this template to devise a set of actions or tasks that address a particular habit, life aspect, or area of health or well-being that can be improved. 

Learning outcomes 

When learning a new skill, individuals may use the template to break down the learning process, such as a skill or hobby. By reducing the task into simpler steps, individuals may find that they have more direction and can keep track of the process. 

Benefits of a Life Checklist template

Using our free Life Checklist Template can provide a range of benefits for individuals and those around them. The following are some typical benefits that may be experienced:

Empowerment 

Using the checklist format allows individuals to tick or cross tasks off as they are completed. As individuals see the checklist being closer to completion, they may feel more empowered or motivated to continue on this journey, which may help them overcome challenges in the future. 

Enhanced productivity

The template allows Individuals and practitioners to break down the aspiration or goal into simpler, manageable tasks that may be easier to act upon. This helps them manage their performance and progress in comparison with the grander picture, which may increase in productivity. 

Enhanced decision-making

Research by Reason (1990) on human error has reported checklists as an effective tool for decision-making when completing tasks (Reason, 1990). In particular, checklists can help inform decisions in the individual’s best interest during planning and action. This is most beneficial when individuals may be experiencing challenges or lapses in motivation, as the checklist may remind individuals of their aspirations. 

Reminder

The checklist can serve as a reminder aid that directs the individual’s attention to the overall aspiration and the steps required to accomplish this. Additionally, this resource reminds individuals that they only need to complete one task at a time, which can be reassuring when feeling overwhelmed. 

Additional considerations

To support you on your journey to achieving your goals and aspirations, here are some key things to consider: 

• Figure out what it is you truly wish to achieve: Before beginning this journey, ensure you have a clear grasp on what it is you seek to accomplish and refine your goal. This will make the planning process easier, and help break down the process into smaller steps on the checklist.
• Reflect on your current life status: To effectively figure out what it is you wish to accomplish, it is essential to reflect on your current life status. This may involve making an inventory of what you like, and things you wish to change. 
• Envision your ideal future: Take time to visualize where you see yourself in comparison to where you are now, and use this to set your goal(s). 
• Develop routines or rituals: Much research has come to find that motivation is not a reliable resource for productivity and action. Creating routines and rituals can be essential for sustaining positive actions, as they remove the opportunity for poor, subjective decision-making. Furthermore, developing a routine can make certain tasks habitual, making them easier to remember and complete consistently. 

References

Bacon, D. L., Fulton, B. J., & Malott, R. W. (1983). Improving Staff Performance through the Use of Task Checklists. Journal of Organizational Behaviour Management, 4(3-4), 17-25. DOI: 10.1300/J075v04n03_03

Dias, I. (2021). Life Reset Challenge: The Ultimate Checklist. Isabelledias.com https://isabelledias.com/life-reset-challenge-checklist/Reason, J. (1990). Human Error. Cambridge University Press. https://books.google.co.nz/books?hl=en&lr=&id=WJL8NZc8lZ8C&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&ots=AoMh3kbl0e&sig=TRwnVD_0tRsUv1qofOdd6dqxiDg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false