Death by to-do list

It’s been whispered with dread –  death by to-do list. But as someone who thrives on structure, I’m here to flip the narrative. Yes, I have multiple to-do lists, and I won’t apologise for it 😏

A to-do list needs to be efficient and organised. I am completely a to-do list person, and I mean to the extreme. I have been known to write a to-do list for the day and include times, allowing me to set timeframes to ensure I start at the required time and allocate enough time to complete everything, prioritising the must-complete tasks and working the nice-to-dos in.

Why use a to-do list?

Establish your why. For me, I like things to be organised and ensure I achieve everything I want and need to. A to-do list allows me to write down and organise everything in my head, see where the priorities are, and establish the most time-efficient way to complete everything. I am sure this sounds boring, but even typing this, I am getting excited about writing my to-do list later. Yes, you can consider me a bit of a geek. If it weren’t for too many emojis, there would definitely be one at the end of that sentence.

Now that you know your why, here’s how to turn that purpose into a powerful plan.

Creating your list:

I usually have multiple to-do lists on the go, mainly because it generally helps me organise my life, especially if I’m on a mission, whether it is with the business I am trying to start, life errands, so that I can complete everything quickly and efficiently or (formally) house related issues I need to deal with. We all have different priorities and tasks that need to be completed, ranging from work and business to side hustles, to deep cleaning the kitchen, to cutting the grass, and power washing the garden. I use a notebook to keep everything in one place, as I still have a preference for pen and paper, usually running a daily and weekly list, with a house and business list as required; this is generally when there is just too much going on and putting everything on one list would feel too overwhelming and therefore, I would be setting myself up to fail. If we focus on the weekly and daily to-do lists. So, I add the date at the top of the page or the week commencing date. I establish the majority of my weekly list on a Sunday, as it usually works around the weather and any pre-established plans. For tasks with specific deadlines, I will add a day; for example, food shopping, which I tend to do at the end of the working week, ready for the weekend. If I have an exercise class, it would be scheduled on a specific date. Essentially, I put everything on my to-do list, whether I am completing it, expecting it, or attending it. It is on my radar via my to-do list. This organises my week as well.

Your daily to-do list should combine a list of essentials and nice things to complete today. A list of more than 3-5 priorities can become stressful, especially if they involve major tasks, are time-consuming, or require significant activities.

How to make a to-do list work.

1. Write your list with a purpose – otherwise it’s like packing for a holiday with no idea where you are going. Try to include your whole day or week, which will provide you with a clear picture of what your day will look like. If you only have three hours after work, your to-do list will look different from the days when you have an early or late finish.
2. Add deadlines – when do you need to complete it? This will also help you establish your daily to-do lists. In essence, you are allocating the time you are going to complete it. Monday at 5:30, I will be going for a run. That timeslot is now non-negotiable. It is a very structured way of keeping on track. I have another post – Weekly Schedule
3. Be clear – what are your priorities? Sometimes these are the tasks you do not want to do, but by focusing on the list, you start with the must-complete tasks.
4. Create multiple to-do lists – divide your life into manageable chunks.
5. Be realistic – you cannot complete everything in one day, if you could have, you would have. Here is where adding all aspects of your life to your daily to-do list helps. It will allow you to see what you can achieve. Having dinner plans with friends may limit the number of other tasks you can complete, while a day off may provide more capacity to accomplish additional tasks.
6. Break it down – With the above in mind, break things down if you can. Unless undergoing a complete reset, it is not necessary to clean the entire house at once.
7. Add expected completion times – For busy periods of time, add a complete time. This will help to establish the order of your tasks and your time. You can complete the tasks in a structured order, knowing you will complete everything in time.
8. Do not be afraid to add to the list.

Completing your to-do list:

1. Set deadlines: Direction fuels productivity. Allocating time slots keeps me accountable, and it will keep you accountable too.
2. Be realistic: If you could have done it all in one day, you would have! Look at your schedule and adjust expectations accordingly.
3. Consult regularly: it will keep you on track and remind you of anything you need to do. You will be reminded of your weekly to-do list every evening when you create the following day’s list, but during the day, it is worth checking your list, using your lunchtimes, and planning your journey home around everything you need to do.
4. Acknowledge progress: Cross tasks off, highlight completions, and reassess unfinished tasks without guilt. Never be disheartened by an incomplete list. Completing two-thirds of a list is incredible! And something to be proud of. Completing ongoing tasks regularly helps life.

End of Day and week reflections:

Avoid crossing anything from the weekly to-do list unless it is completed on the allocated day, as this allows you to decide whether it should be moved to the following day’s list or reallocated later in the week.

If a task becomes unachievable or not a priority, reallocate it to the following week. If it becomes a non-issue, take it off your list. Your list is designed to keep you on track; as an efficient planner, you don’t need to worry about tasks that no longer impact your life. Be conscious about the tasks you are delaying; we all do it. These are often the tasks we dislike doing, and we somehow find several ways to avoid them for an impressive amount of time. If a task is constantly being moved from one week to another, it is either not a priority or something you should ask someone else to complete for you.

Key notes:

• Deadlines are progress setters; use them and set times to complete when needed.
• As with anything, the power lies in the consistency.
• I am a paper and pen girl, but this can be established using a to-do list app; the most important thing is that the lists are together in one place. It can become messy if you are tracking multiple lists across several sources.
• Completing two-thirds is progress and helps to keep your life on track

Your to-do list is a tool, not a tyrant. What’s the one task today that will bring you the most peace?