Making a to-do list is a nice idea. They can help make you feel in control, but they don’t account for the myriad annoyances and unpredictable hurdles that might crop up throughout the day. So in that sense, they’re kind of a blueprint for what you’d like to accomplish, if everything in a day where left entirely up to you.
Because reality doesn’t reflect that ideal, though, there’s a number of ways that you can make to-do list a more helpful tool in your never ending pursuit of getting things done.
1. Formulate your to-do list with three things: must, should, and want
To stay productive and sane, start your to-do list with three entries: something you must do (an immediate important task), something you should do (something that contributes to your long-term goals), and something you genuinely want to do. This provides a good balance between your short-term and long-term goals and includes something that makes you happy.
2.Make a “Have-I-Done” list Instead of a to-do list
Staring at a list of outstanding tasks can feel crippling, which is why you may want to turn the old paradigm on its head. Instead of looking at a to-do list, try reframing it as a running list of things you’ve accomplished. Basically, this is you writing things down after they’ve been done, as opposed to letting a daunting list of unfulfilled things pile up. Ultimately, this is about stress management, which is key when it comes to checking off your daily tasks.
3. Separate paper and digital to-do lists
More paper can mean more clutter, but hear me out: a second paper to-do list can complement your digital one. The digital one can be your massive brain dump of every task you have to do, while the paper one can serve as your daily list to keep you focused and less overwhelmed.
4. Follow the 1-3-5 Rule
Don’t make your to-do list longer than it has to be. For your daily to-dos, aim for one big thing, three medium things, and five little things you can accomplish in one day. Alternatively, use the 3+2 rule (three big things and two small things), or the 1+2 rule (one big thing and two small things), or any other variation that applies to your daily needs.
Destroy and rebuild your to-do list
To-do lists can get unwieldy with tasks that you might not even need to do. Re-examine your commitments and make better use of your time by starting over: Write a new daily to-do list (you can use your previous list as reference) keeping in mind the things that must be done versus those you’d just like to get done. Remember, your to-do list is neither a wish list nor a task graveyard.
Turn your to-do list into a story
Visualize and map out your to-dos into a narrative for your day. This storytelling technique can not only help motivate you to complete the tasks, it can boost your memory and help you make better sense of your days. There are other ways to visualize your to-do list that can prompt you to act more—of course, though, this is more suitable to the most imaginative among us.
Subtract one thing from your to-do list
Sometimes you just have to say no. Too many tasks don’t give us the space we need for creativity, rest, or just plain thinking. If your to-do list gets too cluttered, don’t feel guilty about subtracting at least one thing from your commitments. Your mental health, after all, is more important than checking off items on a list.
Plan rewards for extra motivation
We all need a little push now and then to get to work on completing our to-dos. One way to get that nudge is to create a reward task list, so for each task on your list, there’s something to look forward to. (For example, “Finish top 10 on to-do list” leads to “Take a 20-minute nap.”) You can also sort your task list by emotion or reward for more motivation.
Try Warren Buffet’s two-list system
Want to really prioritize your list? Follow Warren Buffett’s advice and make a list of the top 25 things you want to do in the future, then pick the five most important ones—and put the rest on a “avoid at all costs list.” (In terms of your to-do list, make sure all the tasks are related to those top five items.) Of course, temper your expectations of setting the world on fire in the manner of a business magnate like Warren Buffet, but this can still help put your biggest priorities in perspective.
Ditch your to-do list and schedule your tasks instead
To-do lists help us track what we need to get done, but unfinished tasks on that long list nag at us and make us unhappy. Instead of creating a list, consider scheduling your tasks instead, perhaps with a service like FollowUp.cc to email you when you need to complete a task. Having a due date could help you get more things done, which is the whole point of the to-do list anyway. (You might say this last point is cheating, since it doesn’t upgrade your current to-do list, but you can consider it the evolution of the to-do list, perhaps, when we no longer have oppressive lists but just get reminders of tasks when and where we have to do them.)