National Checklist Day Date in the current year: October 30, 2024

A checklist is a list of things to be checked or done, items required, or points to be considered, which is used as a reminder. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word “checklist” was first used in the English language in 1853. However, it is generally accepted that checklists came into wide use after the 1935 crash of a Boeing B-17.

On October 30, 1935, a test flight of the prototype Boeing B-17 Model 299 heavy bomber was supposed to take place. The plane took off but stalled at 300 feet and spun into the ground, bursting into flames. Command pilot Major Ployer Peter Hill initially survived the impact but died a few hours later. Boeing chief test pilot Leslie R. Tower, who was on board as an observer and advisor, would die on November 19 despite initially seeming to have recovered.

After the crash, Tower and copilot Lieutenant Donald Pitt came to the conclusion that the plane’s gust locks had been left engaged, causing the plane to crash. Even though all crew members were highly experienced test pilots, they hadn’t had enough time to develop the necessary procedures and habits for this specific aircraft, which ultimately resulted in the fatal crash.

The accident is credited with being instrumental in the introduction of pre-flight safety checklists in aviation. Aircraft manufacturers and aviation safety authorities recognized that aircraft operation may be too complex for even skilled and experienced pilots to memorize, and came up with checklists as a way to prevent pilot error.

Since then, checklists have been implemented in a variety of industries ranging from software development to healthcare and emergency response to logistics, as well as become part of our everyday lives. From grocery shopping lists to work to-do lists, checklists keep us organized and help us stay on top of things without being overwhelmed by the too many things we need to get done.

Checklists help us prioritize and enhance focus, improve motivation and productivity, give us the feeling of control, prevent errors, reduce anxiety and procrastination, and have many other benefits. They are even good for our health: having an item checked off the list makes the brain release dopamine, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter. You can raise your dopamine levels by making a check-list that consists of small, manageable tasks and completing them one by one.

The origin of National Checklist Day is unclear, but its date was most definitely chosen to commemorate the 1935 Boeing B-17 crash. Of course, the best way to celebrate this holiday is to learn more about the benefits of checklists and think about using them in your work, studies, or daily life. You can also try out different to-do list apps to find the one that you like the most (but if you prefer the good old paper and pen, that’s totally okay!), reward yourself for a completed checklist, and spread the word about the holiday with the hashtag #NationalChecklistDay.