Is making lists a waste of time ?

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I seem to think maybe one of my hobbies is making lists and feel I've been into it the last 9 or 10 years (between the ages of 21 and 31). I've liked to try and list things like 100 greatest film heroes and villains, 100 major events in history, and was particularly influenced by a book on 100 most influential persons in history which has inspired me to list instead 100 of the most evil people in history but the more I studied on that subject the more problematic history is as for example Genghis Khan maybe a mass murderer to many people and a great state builder to many others particularly in Mongolia as he is seen as the Founding father of Mongolia and has led me to think maybe even bad people are maybe not completely evil as all historical figures have flaws. Anyway coming back to lists, I feel I have been trying to write my own book but there have been times when I change my mind after a while whilst working on it and haven't even produced an outcome which is frustrating and think to myself 'Why didn't I stick to it ?' but I don't if its the listing I enjoy and not the making of the final outcome. I seem to think I was the only one doing a hobby like this between 21 and 31 whilst other people that age were going out more, going to clubs and parties regularly with friends and stuff which I seem to think is the 'requirement' for people of that age group and I wasn't always doing that stuff and just wondering if its a waste of time when I should have been meeting more people, going out partying and drinking more than doing the hobby I've mentioned above.

Absolutely not!

I pretty much can't function without one and pretty doomed without as I am pretty set in the order I do things otherwise if I do something and eventually get things done it takes forever!! And I find myself going over and over things , planning and executing before I've accomplished anything.. just me though.

Depends. But likely, no.


Base on what (OP) do, it's akin to chewing a gum. More or less consolidating info, similar to recording and journalizing.

I think bullet journaling would be very suited for you.

Gained Number Post Count (1).
Lose Time (n).

Lose more time here - Updates at least once a week.

It sounds like a valid enjoyable recreation to me.

However, I think it is also possible to make useful lists to help organize myself and my world.

I used lists to help me plan.
But I guess making lists for lists sake is a valid activity as many others
what makes any activity have value?

Writing books based on your lists sounds fairly logical
so what if your knowledge changes over time on some of the items on your list

life is a constant learning process and sure, you may have to make alternations on
your lists

but that's part of life
and as such endeavours are subjective

what ever you put in your lists can't be criticized
apart from others saying that agree or disagree

or if they like what you have done
or do not like

but again that's their right to have an opinion
good luck
cheers