This might seem like a very obvious time management trick. Maybe you already successfully make to-do lists all the time. But, many people do not. If they do, then they often do so inefficiently.
If you don’t tend to make a to-do list every day, think about your reason why. How do you know what you should do each day? Maybe you just have all your tasks swirling around in your head. If that’s the case, then you’re setting yourself up for failure right off the bat.
Here’s how to make a To-Do List that really works.
You need to get your to-do list action items out of your head and down on paper. If you have too much swirling around in your head, then you won’t know what to do first, and you’ll constantly be worrying that you’ve forgotten something (and maybe you will have). It’s exhausting to have everything you need to do taking up your brain-space every second of the day. Get it down on paper instead, and you’ll probably feel instant relief.
Let me give you an example. Let’s say you go grocery shopping weekly. If you need to get 32 things this week, do you think you’ll be more successful on your shopping trip if that list is in your head, or if you write down everything you need on a piece of paper? In which case do you think you might have to revisit the store after you get home, unpack, and realise that you forgot something.
It’s not just about getting it down on paper, of course. You need to create a to-do list that will be easily actionable for you every day. That means your to-do list can’t be overwhelming.
Right now, I suggest you get out a pen and paper and make a list of absolutely everything that is on your to-do list. You are doing a brain dump of sorts. You’re working at this moment to get every action item out of your head and down on paper. Note that this is not going to be the to-do list that you work from.
Next, go through your to-do list and cross off the items that don’t need to be there. Sometimes, we make ourselves more inefficient by adding items that are not going to contribute to our goals. They are there just because they’ve always been there. Or, they are there because of how someone else does something, even if it’s not necessarily applicable to you. Go through and get rid of the time wasters.
It can help to remember the Pareto principle – the 80/20 principle. Just 20% of the things you do lead to 80% of your results. That means probably most of the items on your to-do list are not leading to most of your results.
Now, go through your to-do list and circle the items that are absolutely necessary—the ones that stand out to you as critical to your success. Check to make sure these action items are in line with your goals. Will these action items lead to the successful completion or achievement of your goals?
If they are not in line with your goals, then it’s time to do something else. Reconfigure your to-do list so only the most important items are there.
Now that you have circled the most important items on your list, check your reaction to each item. Do you feel strong and confident when it comes to completing each item? If not, then it’s time to break it down.
Break each task down into its smallest parts. Break it down as much as you need to so you can confidently complete this step. You can even break it down as far as writing things like “open the computer, click the link, type the title,” and so on.
Now, you have identified your most important tasks and you’ve broken them down. Everything on your list is now crucial and you have a solid grasp on completing each item.
If your tasks are easy to complete and you don’t have to think too much about them in the moment, you’ll be much more likely to dive right in and get to work.
Having just a foggy notion of each of your to-do action items is a recipe for disaster. Be very clear and complete about each step before you get started working.
Next, you need to create a draft calendar of the items on your to-do list. Some things might be scheduled six months from now, so put that on your calendar. If something needs to be done a month from now, put that on your calendar.
Make sure that your long-term action items are in line with your goals.
Make sure that your goals have a deadline.
Put most of your attention on the tasks you need to do this month and this week.
Then, break it down even further into what you need to do today or tomorrow.
Make a list of around four to six things you need to do each day. On average, each of the items on your list should take no more than an hour to do, or less. Some people like to list two major tasks and four quick tasks each day. A workday is typically around eight hours long, leaving you some wiggle room and plenty of time to get all your essential action items completed.
Every night, create a to-do list that you’re to follow through with the next day. Your tasks are broken down into their smaller parts, there isn’t anything extra on your to-do list, and everything is easily actionable. You’ll set yourself up for success by creating your to-do list in this way.
This will give you another huge benefit that will benefit your productivity as well. Once you have tomorrow’s schedule out of your head and down on paper, you’ll sleep better. You won’t toss and turn telling yourself that you can’t forget to do task X first thing in the morning, and task Y sometime before lunch.
Please don’t pass this off as unnecessary. Creating a to-do list that is easily manageable and that falls in line with your goals and getting the important tasks done is the best thing you can do.
Of course, the strategy outlined here for creating your to-do list is not hard and fast. Start out by trying it out this way. Then, play around with it until you find a method that works best for you. This is all about finding the right methods for you!
But making a To-Do list that really works relies on you having clarity about your goals. If getting clarity on exactly what you need to do in the next 90 days is important to you have a look at our 90 Day Action Plan
