Peter on living life by lists – and how each day is an achievement.

Hello, Peter Clark here,From being someone who woke up each morning and decided what to do I (actual examples going to work, resigning, setting up my own business, driving to Moscow, day trip to Grand Canyon via People’s Express and Greyhound Bus while recuperating from cancer treatment) I now have lists to make sure of doing the same 156 things each day (3 detailed lists, 45, 18 and 41 items a controlling list of 24 items to make sure the other lists are done and in sequence, and most recently a 28 item ‘joy of life’ list (inspired by Exeter University) to record the pleasure I have had each day). And instead of looking forward to change as an opportunity to solve problems, I now dread sudden unplanned changes for the disruption caused to my lists, though still welcoming planned opportunities to do something different (another 2 lists – one to get ready to go and one to get back on track on return).

Although it might sound like groundhog day, it is not as boring as it sounds because the bloody amyloid cuts off access to my memory of what I did yesterday, so getting successfully to the end of each day and ticking off its pleasures and triumphs seems like quite a fresh achievement.

I have great hopes that a new app being developed will enable me to carry these lists around with me on an I thing rather than having to run my life sitting in front of a laptop.