Checklists to Boost Efficiency and Reduce Mistakes [ With Samples ]

The human mind may be able to remember a lot of things beyond what we think humans are capable of. There may be truth to this, but not all humans are alike. One individual may be able to remember or memorize a lot of things for a long a time and the other individual may not. For this reason we looked for ways on how to be able to remember important things. That is why we have come to make use of a very useful tool called a checklist.

A checklist is a document or a piece of paper where one can list all of the things that they need to do or remember. Checklists usually have check boxes beside them or at the left side each item that needs to be done. These boxes are checked off once the task gets accomplished. A checklist can be used as a task list or to-do list, food list, travel checklist, wedding planner checklist, and many more. There are a lot of different uses of a checklist and they all depend on the individual on what they want to use it for.

Checklists help us become organized and also help us to stay organized. Being organized is very important because it helps us boost the efficiency of our work and at the same time reduces the number of mistakes that we make. We know how useful checklists are, that is why we have included various checklist samples that you can view and download online. These checklist samples are available in PDF to make it easy for you to download them. Check them out below.

Employment Checklist Sample

Internal System Auditing Checklist

Exiting Employee Checklist

Business Start-up Checklist

Pre-employment Checklist

Sample Quality Assurance Checklist

Sample Audit Checklist

Restaurant Pre-Opening Checklist

What Are the Types of Checklists?

Checklists are indeed useful. One of the things that we bring you in this article are the types of checklists that you can make use of. There are actually five types of checklists being used today and they are task checklist, troubleshooting checklist, coordination checklist, to-do checklist, and discipline checklist. I bet you didn’t expect them as the types of checklists. Each of the types mentioned are discussed below.

• Task Checklist – This type of checklist is the most common type and is proven to be the best checklist to use for standard operating procedures. It is because a task list provides a detailed set of steps to be followed in order to get the right or desired outcome. Task checklists may be ideal for standard operating procedures, but they are not useful during critical or emergency situations. An example of when a task checklist is used is when preparing for an airplane’s takeoff.
• Troubleshooting Checklist – Troubleshooting requires following an organized step-by-step procedure to be able to fix a certain problem. It is very useful in very sensitive situations. An aviation checklist is a troubleshooting checklist type that is very useful when responding to emergency situations.
• Coordination Checklist – This checklist is used when there is a need for a number or multiple parties to coordinate or work together. A coordination checklist is not a time-sensitive checklist. Being used among multiple parties, it is important that it is clearly stated to avoid confusion and misunderstanding.
• To-Do Checklist – This checklist is used by individuals as a personal guide where they list all of the things that they need to do. The objectives of a to-do list change rapidly depending largely on the individual who is making and using it.
• Discipline Checklist – This is not your typical type of checklist as it is used to remove any emotions so that one can make sound and just decisions. A discipline checklist is good when there is a need for a certain process to be enforced, either to oneself or another individual. This type of checklist was made to help an individual control their emotions and prevent making bad decisions when they are mad or angry.

 

Information Technology Management Checklist

Customer Service Checklist

Staff Survey Checklist

Business Travel Checklist

Site Survey Checklist

Construction Checklist Sample

Business Trip Checklist

Workplace Safety Checklist

Tips on Using a Checklist to Boost Efficiency and Reduce Mistakes

There is no doubt that checklists are useful. They are being used by doctors, lawyers, nurses, accountants, pilots, engineers, and many more. These professionals carry with them a huge amount of knowledge, but they still do commit mistakes. These mistakes can simply be avoided with the use of a checklist. We will be providing you with useful tips on how you can use checklists to boost the efficiency of your work and reduce the number of mistakes that you make. These tips are listed below.

• A unique checklists allows you to take ownership of the said checklist making sure that you are comfortable with the steps and procedures that you follow. This will lead to having minimal errors and will boost the efficiency of the things that you do.
• Customize your checklists so that it can fit the purpose that you intend to use it for. This also helps in making sure that all the members of the team using the checklist is able to follow the needed steps.
• Updating a checklist from time to time prevents having the same tasks done multiple times. Once a task in the list has been done it should be checked off or marked as done.
• If you don’t repeat tasks, then you will be able to save time that can be used for other important things or other needed tasks.
• Using a checklist helps you reduce making any mistakes. You can get yourself organized and establish a certain routine that is helpful for your work or daily tasks.
• Your checklist should be precise and easy to use. This will make it more beneficial regardless of what kind of situation it is being used for.
• Checklists are very simple tools, that is why its use has been disregarded by most people in high-ranking jobs or high-ranking positions. Because of this they commit a lot of mistakes that they didn’t know are possible. This is all because they disregarded the use of a checklist. In order to appreciate the usefulness and importance of a checklist, we just need to humble ourselves and take advantage of it.
• Preparing a checklist for an entire medical team to know is sure to prepare them for what is to come and help correct mistakes to be able to save lives. A lot of lives have been saved in hospitals because they use a checklist. For example, if a surgeon or anesthesiologist made a mistake, their team would be able to back them up because they have already prepared for this situation, which is what was included in the checklist that they used.
• To make a checklist effective, you should create one that is appropriate to the type or purpose you will be using it. It should also be a checklist that is easy to read and understand, otherwise it would be useless and might lead you to misunderstand or misinterpret things in the long run.
• Printable checklist samples are available online. If you make use of these printable samples, then you can make sure that your work will be easy and convenient. Now you can minimize your mistakes and become better with what you are doing.

 

Surgical Safety Checklist

Men’s Health Checklist

Example Event Planning Checklist

Legal Health Checklist

Back to School Checklist

The Ultimate Pre-Tour Checklist

Study Checklist in PDF

Effective Event Planning Checklist

Benefits of Checklists

Most of us think that checklists are time-consuming and are not a bit helpful. We also think that they are only for people who are too obsessed with being organized. That is just all wrong. Checklists are being used because of its effectiveness and the benefits that one can take advantage of just by using it. Here are some of the main benefits that you can get by using checklists.

• If you know what you need to do, then you will definitely be able to allot enough time for each task. This will help you be able to finish more tasks. It’s just so rewarding to be able to check off or crush out that task after you are done with it. And just by looking at how much you have accomplished, you’ll be really proud of yourself.
• Instead of spending so much time thinking of what is left to do or what other things need to be done, you can write them all in a checklist. It helps you save time and even save your brain cells the hassle of thinking about it. If you need to know what you need to do next, you can just pull out your checklist and see what needs to be done.
• When working with a team, you need to share tasks to the rest of the members, and the best way to do that would be to assign a checklist to each of the members. This way they will know what they have to do without overlapping with the other member’s duties. Delegating tasks is made easy and it prevents misunderstanding.
• Do you have goals that you want to achieve? You can do so by using a checklist. Get focused and stay focused on what you want to accomplish in life. You can breakdown your goals into even smaller goals and work on achieving them one at a time.

 

Hospital Emergency Response Checklist

Quality Assurance Checklist

Checklists are not just for tasks. You can incorporate your checklists in your daily planner or monthly planner. You can even use them for listing stuff, like budget sheets, grocery lists, or in your monthly calendars.