When: Annually, October 30.
On 30 October is the annual Checklist Day. This is the day that highlights the need for checklists. The question is whether this day is on your list…
Does this sounds familiar? The feeling that you’ve forgoetten something or the feeling that you need to do so much and don’t know where to start. What’s important and what are things you must not forget? There are even more examples if you think about it. These are all examples in which a checklist plays a role. On October 30, Checklist Day, it is time to reflect on the importance of checklists. Maybe you don’t make enough use of them or you don’t think they are necessary at all.
Origin
Who is to thank for this day? Atul Gawande. In 2009, he wrote the book The Checklist Manifesto. In it, he combined his own experiences and his views on social life. Checklists, he said, were not only limited to his profession (Gawande works in the medical field).
On the contrary, others argue that it was not Gawande’s book that prompted the day. The day was there long before 2009. The day originated in the 1950s. This makes more sense, as it would have to do with a commemoration that can be traced back to the 1930s.
As a solution to prevent an air disaster like the one that occurred on October 30, 1935, they introduced a checklist to be gone through before starting a flight. To celebrate this, the 1950s marked the occasion. Since then, then, we would be stuck with Checklist Day. For a long time a national American event. Only much later would international attention be given to the day as well. It could be that Gawande’s book played a (minute) role in this, it’s just not very likely. You just can’t argue that Gawande is the creator of the day.
What to do on this day?
It is, of course, a nice, extra advertisement for the author and his book. Yet he is right on several counts: it is useful, convenient and meaningful. That is why it is a good time to reflect on this day on October 30. Only, what to do on this day?
First, start by making a checklist. This does not have to be a checklist that only deals with this day. Think further ahead! How about a goal or a project? It could also be a hobby, for example. You can also take a different approach, only that checklist can be tricky. It can confront yourself with certain shortcomings or it can make you doubt yourself.
How about a checklist that ‘tells’ you where you stand? How you’re doing? What you have achieved or the status of your health, relationships or friendships? You could also think about your lifestyle or even living environment. Again, this can be a tricky one.
You can, of course, do this with others. The only question is: do you want to do this? Something like this can have an impact and you need to agree on this beforehand. Talk to each other. Perhaps using a…. checklist?
Advantages
There are benefits, even when there is a certain conclusion. What are the best-known benefits?
What will you do on this day? Getting started with a pen and paper or will you create and keep a checklist digitally?
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