To-do lists are an important productivity tool that can keep you focused, when used correctly. Unfortunately, it’s easy to go off the rails and put together a list that hinders you more than it helps.
To ensure this doesn’t happen, we put together a list of actionable tips that will help you upgrade your lists and get more done.
The to-do list is an important productivity tool that can keep you focused.
The idea behind it is simple. To create a to-do list, just jot down all the tasks you need to complete. They can either be in sequential order or no order at all, that’s entirely up to you. As you complete tasks on the list, they get crossed off and you move through it until everything is done.
Despite how simple it is to create – and follow – a to-do list, it is possible for this tool to fail you. According to iDoneThis, 41 percent of to-do items created were never actually completed by their author.
Furthermore, only 15 percent of completed tasks originally started as part of a to-do list.
Why To-Do Lists Fail
As it turns out, people just aren’t that great at completing individual tasks, let alone an entire list.
Why is this?
For starters, lists can become way too complicated to finish. They fill with unachievable and difficult assignments that may never get done. They also end up unorganized, layering tasks as you remember them instead of by deadline or difficulty.
Lots of people litter their to-do lists with info they want to remember later, so it becomes more of a memory aid. This is a bad idea, because the tasks that are less important clutter the list and mask tasks that you should be working on.
Kanban, a popular project-management system, can make teams that use it up to three times more efficient. Kanban uses a list-based system to prioritize tasks and improve the flow of development. So we know using to-do lists can help you. It’s just a matter of using them effectively.
To help ensure that your to-do lists won’t fail you, we’re going to explore some ways you can upgrade them. By following these tips, you should be able to remain productive and get more done.
1. Prioritize Your List
There are many ways to do this, so do whatever works for you. The most important thing to take away here is that you should rank tasks on your list by their deadline or order of importance.
We recommend creating separate lists, labeled “now” and “later” that space out the tasks you need to complete. You can also include them on a single list in separate sections if that’s more efficient for you. You can also use the 1-3-5 rule to separate tasks.
This will help you get the urgent tasks done first before moving on to less important or less relevant tasks. Also, it helps you stay more organized and focused instead of getting hung up on the amount of work you need to complete.
2. Limit Your “Now” or “Urgent” List
Pick a reasonable and achievable amount of tasks for your urgent list. Just because you have a bunch of work that you need to get done doesn’t mean you should clutter your to-do list by including everything.
Try to pare down your list to just a few items – three to four is usually a good number – and focus on getting those things done first. Leave the rest of your tasks for another list, until you have completed the first.
No matter how you feel about it, humans are not good at multitasking. Our brains were not wired for it. So, chiseling your list down to as few items as possible is in your best interest.
3. Use the List Style That Matches Your Needs
Some experts advise against using a digital or smartphone to-do list. Others advise against using a physical pen-and-paper list because they’re easy to lose. In reality, you should pinpoint the method that works best for you.
Perhaps you could use a journal or diary as a daily planner, and then a smartphone for your extraneous tasks. Maybe you’d work better if it were organized the opposite way.
Again, focus on creating a more productive list, but also find the type of list that suits your needs best. If you find yourself getting off task on your smartphone because you’re switching away from your to-do list app, maybe it’s time to go old-school.
4. Do Not Turn Your To-Do List Into a Memory Aid
It’s easy to continue amending your to-do list, especially when you’re using a digital version that will never run out of space, but don’t fall into this habit. If you need to remember something important for later, use another tool or note system to jot down this information.
Keep your to-do list confined to the few items you want to complete and nothing more.
5. Break Down Larger Tasks and Be Specific
A to-do list should be filled with actionable tasks only. This means they should be assignments you can complete in a single sitting. You should break down larger tasks by being more specific.
For example, if you include “write research paper” on your list, you’re most likely going to fail. This includes too many steps and processes to finish. Break it down further by being more specific. Change it to something like, “write first paragraph of research paper,” or “find 10 sources for research paper.” By breaking a larger task down into a more manageable achievement, you’re making things a lot easier for yourself.
6. Set Time Aside to Plan
Because switching to a smaller to-do list with fewer items, you’ll need time to plan whenever it changes. Spend time reorganizing your to-do list.
If you’re working on a larger project – like the research paper we talked about in the last tip – this is a great time to move on to the next step.
Your to-do list should be constantly evolving and changing as you complete items and add new ones. Remember to keep it organized and focused, if you want to stay productive.
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Pic: ©bohed
