I couldn't organize much in my life before I got into recovery, but shortly after I stopped using drugs, I replaced some of my substance-related rituals with a list-writing ritual. I've since become a spectacular list maker.
When I need to complete or accomplish a project, I grab one of my pretty pens and my lovely lined notepad and settle down to get organized. There's just something about writing down things "to do" that speaks to me.
Writing a list brings me great satisfaction, almost as much as completing everything on it. But there's another side of list writing for me, and that is that making lists can also feed my tendency to overwork or overdo in my life.
At those times, I need to practice another ritual of mine—writing a "not-to-do" list. As with all things recovery, finding balance also means not overdoing things that I love to do.
Writing lists feeds my need for order and helps me stay organized, but it can also feed my tendency to want to do too much.