Life can get hectic. When there is so much to do, it’s easy to accidentally fall behind and miss an appointment or neglect goals. No one ever intends for this to happen. It’s the result of an unorganized mind.
How frequently do you have to stop what you’re doing to check if you have the ingredients necessary for dinner? Do you go back to read the assignment over and over before turning in a project? Was it 8:00 AM or 9:00 AM that your work shift starts on Tuesday?
A To-Do list is a great way to get organized. If you take the time to get all your tasks written down and scheduled in, you’ll be more likely to follow through and accomplish more. And more efficiently, too!
There is absolutely a right way and a wrong way to create a To-Do list. Essentially, the right way is the way that works best for you. The wrong way will lead you to work more on keeping up with the list and less on actually doing tasks.
What I am about to present is the way that works best for me. I think my way is inclusive and detailed enough to work for many. You might agree. Or you might need to change a few elements. I encourage you to look around on other websites and find out what works for other people and create a method that works for you. Because what really matters is your success.
Write Everything Down
I know I discouraged this behavior in my previous post, Downsides of the To-Do List. That’s because this long list is intimidating and overwhelming. I use it regularly now because I figured out how to break it down in ways that are less scary.
Don’t hold back on this list. If it’s something you need to do, then write it down, even if you’ve already made a habit out of the task. Include assignments, chores, appointments, and anything else you can think of. This is also a great opportunity to find ways to break down big projects into smaller, more manageable tasks.
Three Lists
That long, all consuming list needs to be sorted through and made less daunting. Every item on your list will fall into one of three categories.
- Every day, repeated
- Today
- This week
I found the first category to be the easiest to fill. My every day list includes studying, feeding the fish, and washing dishes. You probably already know what you need to do every day, too. It’s a good opportunity to add to that list something that you don’t do every day but would like to create the habit, like journaling or meditating.
If something is on your list and it doesn’t fall into one of those three categories, it’s likely that it’s too large. For example, you might have written “buy a couch” on your list. Before you can do that you need to look at your budget, measure the space, and browse various styles.
Yes, you can use the last category to place tasks you’re unsure of yet. If it isn’t time sensitive or high priority, but you want to keep it in mind, put it in the “This week” list and return to it later.
Time Sensitive Tasks
This part of organizing the big list is fairly easy. Plug in due dates for assignments and times for appointments. Remember to schedule in time to work on the assignments and leave yourself travel time for appointments.
At this point you’ll be looking to fill in gaps with appropriate projects. Maybe you have a big project you need to work on over the course of several days, or want to schedule in time for laundry. This is your opportunity to design your day the way you want it to be. Isn’t being in control nice?
Two Lists, One Day
You probably noticed that you created two lists to work from on a given day. This is deliberate. Your “every day, repeated” list won’t change from day to day, but your “today” list will be different each time you make one.
I set my pattern up so that I wouldn’t have to write the same tasks over and over, day after day. It saves me a little time and worry. This lets me focus on specific tasks on specific days.
If following two lists isn’t for you, then write them down together on one. Remember, the whole point of incorporating this habit into your life is for your personal improvement. Always be honest with yourself and create environments which will help you be successful.
Whether you work from two lists or one, there shouldn’t be more tasks there than you can reasonably complete in a day. Making the To-Do list is the easy part. Completing tasks takes time. If it looks too long, focus on your priorities and find something less important to move back over to the “This week” list.
Execute
You did all the prep work. Now it’s time to go about your day. Complete that list!
Consult your list or lists throughout your day. This will help you stay on track. And don’t forget to cross tasks off as you complete them. It’s oh, so satisfying!
Reflect
At the end of the day, you will be left with one of two things. Either you will have a completed list or an incomplete list.
If you knocked off all of your tasks, go you! Celebrate! Crack open a cold one! Allow yourself to relax!
If you have an incomplete list, then this is a good time to reflect. What is left over? Why wasn’t it done? Did you over-schedule yourself? Do the leftover items reflect your priorities and goals?
It takes time to get used to working with a daily To-Do list. It’s up to you to remember to work on the tasks that are aligned with your goals and to allow trivial items to fall away when necessary. With practice, you can learn to use To-Do lists to get ahead and accomplish more.
Good luck putting yours together! Leave comments. Let me know how you use to To-Do lists. Ask me questions if I wasn’t clear on any section. I look forward to hearing from you!