Because, not all to-do lists are alike
~5 – 7 mins read
I’ve had my fair share of to-do lists that seemed daunting to complete. Often times, I found myself tempted to give up since I thought, “There’s no way I’ll be able to complete the list, so why even bother doing it?”
You might have found yourself in a similar situation, and it’s certainly no fun. To-do lists are supposed to help you, so you can actually get things done (duh!). It is so much easier when you know exactly what you need to do and how important the task is to complete today.
Luckily for you, I’ve tried many to-do lists (some of which were created with colorful gel pens) and discovered a list format that works best for me. I’m a big fan of this list format since I feel more motivated to tackle my to-dos. Also, it makes me feel less anxious and overwhelmed knowing what I need to complete next. Hopefully it does the same for you!
Let’s begin!
Step 1
Make three sections, labeling them:
DO TODAY
TODAY IF POSSIBLE
IF TIME PERMITS
Step 2
It’s time to fill-in these sections with your to-dos. Here is how I classify them:
DO TODAY: This section is for urgent to-dos that you utterly, absolutely, 110%, need to complete today. Today, I needed to do my laundry, make a doc appointment, call my friend Kelsey, go to Trader Joe’s, and drink enough water. All very adult-ish things.
TODAY IF POSSIBLE: This section is for to-dos that can be finished today, although you still have the next couple of days to complete them. In my list, I wrote: clean my bedroom and pack for my trip to Yosemite. I don’t need to do them today. I can, in fact, do them tomorrow. There’s still some wiggle room here.
IF TIME PERMITS: This section is for tasks that are further out in the future, but if you are able to zip through the past two sections, then by all means start tackling this section as well. After all, we’re all here to become more productive.
I have some tasks such as organize my pantry and find a birthday present for my friend Michelle. If I don’t have time today, I can complete these tasks next week. But, let’s see how the day goes and if I’m able to complete my other tasks, then I’ll get these to-dos squared away.
Step 3
You’re ready to start tackling your to-dos. By using the format, you can clearly see what tasks you need to get done. I use this list format both at work and at home, and I find myself getting a LOT more to-dos done. Hooray for productivity!
You can use the list again for the next couple of days, depending on how many tasks you have on it. So, you don’t need to keep re-creating these lists unless you absolutely need to, saving you time to focus on actually doing your tasks.
Below is what I actually did today. I clearly need to drink more water.
Enjoy tackling your to-dos, you smarty femme!
The Smarty Femme 