Survey shows more of us depending on to-do lists

A survey by Kelton Research in co-operation with Microsoft finds U S citizens reporting the most dependency on to-do lists worldwide, with more than three-quarters (76%) of respondents currently keeping at least one list and some managing up to three concurrently. Respondents in Canada are most likely to have a list, with 78% keeping at least one, while people in Japan are least likely to make to-do lists, at only 54%. However, although participants in the US say they check off 69% of the tasks on their to-do lists in a week, procrastination is alive and well. On average, the longest an item has stayed on to-do lists is nearly a month (22 working days). At the other end of the spectrum, respondents in Spain record 59% of tasks completed each week, while respondents in Italy feel the closest attachment to lists, with almost half of their daily activities (45%) originating from one, compared with 35% for workers in the US. Incidentally, respondents in Japan reveal a high standard for productivity, saying on average that they need to complete 59% of the tasks on their weekly to-do list to feel productive. By contrast, Italy respondents say they need to complete only 41% to feel virtuous. The Windows Mobile group at Microsoft has teamed up with Ellen Damaschino, certified professional organiser and creator of Neat, to show how people can start checking off more items on their to-do lists using its mobile phone software. The company says that with Windows Mobile, people can make the most of their time, checking e-mail, managing their calendar and contacts, editing documents, searching the web, and enjoying entertainment while they’re on the go. The power of Windows Mobile turns the phone into a companion for all aspects of life, including to-do lists, they say.