With meals to organise, fuel to buy, potholes to avoid, sights to see, maintenance to be carried out, people to meet, and fun to be had, it can be hard to keep across all of the little jobs required to keep on living the dream.

For many grey  nomads, particularly those who have not long left the predictability and familiarity of their bricks-and-mortar lifestyle it can seem a little overwhelming … and that’s where lists come in.

Can you add wash the van to the list please, love? PIC: Cizza

Whether it’s making a checklist of jobs to do before leaving camp, or jobs to do while setting up camp, or making shopping lists, or lists of places to add to the itinerary, many of the most contented travellers regularly jot down reminders of things to do.

Leading psychotherapist Sean Grover, writing in Psychology Today, says to-do lists are essential for following through on a plan of action while managing tasks without burdening memories with unneeded information. What’s more, people apparently get a little burst of dopamine with every completed job.

He says there were a number of reasons that making lists was so popular … and such a good thing to do.

1. Lists help you plan and structure your time.
2. Lists can give you focus, direction, and purpose.
3. Completed tasks foster a sense of accomplishment, boosting self-confidence and esteem.
4. Lists feed our ambition to achieve more.
5. Lists can lower anxiety by helping people organise their thoughts and remember tasks.

Experts say that list makers should remember that every crossed-off task is a step towards a larger goal, and that making daily lists and updating them throughout the day can transform productivity routines and bring a sense of accomplishment.

However, travellers like Kay Anderson, say it is important for grey nomads for travellers not to become slaves to lists.

“In our early days on the road, my husband Mark seemed to forget that he was actually retired and that living the dream is not actually a job,” she said. “I’m all for making sure that we carry out safety checks when leaving camp and are pretty organised … but it shouldn’t become overwhelming.”

In Kay and Mark’s case, the solution was simply to slow down their travels so they have more time to relax, and spent less time working their way through their list of tasks.

“Like everything, it’s finding a balance,”’ said Kay. “Aside from all the daily stuff, the most important thing on any grey nomad’s list should be just to enjoy the day.”

• Are you a list maker? What sorts of things are on your lists? Do your lists ever seem a bit too daunting, or do they bring you a necessary sense of control and order? Comment below.

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