How to Improve Your To-Do List

I use old-fashioned to-do lists, i.e., pen and paper. There’s something infinitely more satisfying in writing the list by hand, crossing through things (often vehemently), crumpling the crossed-out list, and tossing it into the recycling bin. An online tool or the trash sound that my Mac makes doesn’t compare. I know. I’ve tried—which isn’t to say I don’t use the applications or empty the trash on my laptop. I do. They just don’t bring the same sense of accomplishment that pen and paper do.

The to-do list, however, is no ordinary list. It isn’t a random ordering of tasks and projects; it’s highly organized, prioritized, and planned out in advance. It’s efficient. My approach isn’t top-secret information, so I’ll share it. Maybe it will help you improve the to-do list and get more done this year.

To-Do: Today

The first section of my list—if I’m plotting it out by hand and not using something like 8 For the Day—focuses on items that must be done by the end of today. They range from the mundane to the thought-intensive. Sometimes, I order the items from easiest to hardest or hardest to easiest. It’s entirely dependent on the day in question and what else is happening in it.

Other times, I order the list by client priority and administrative tasks. A good example is Mondays. I send out status reports at the beginning of the week, so that’s the first thing I do. Fridays are for invoicing. I usually do that first thing in the morning, too, although I’ve typically created the invoices the day before. It saves time on Friday and gets me back to work faster.

To-Do: If I Can

My today to-do list usually features one or two things that I would like to do but aren’t mission-critical to the day in question. The coloring book serves as an example. I’m currently scanning the drawings so that I can get to the design phase. If I don’t get the drawings scanned today, I can live with that. I know I’ll get it done because I have an end date (March 2016) in mind.

To-Do: This Week

The daily to-do list also features a section of things—more or less toward the bottom of the page—that have to be done throughout or by the end of the week. It can be deadlines for work, calling to check on insurance, or following up with a potential client. If I finish enough work on the today to-do list, I start on something found here or one of the “if I can” projects.

To-Do: Review

At the end of the workday, I review the list. I look at what was finished and what was not. If needed, I rewrite the list for the next day. I usually do that; I like starting each day with a fresh list. I follow the same format with tomorrow’s to-do list as I do with today’s: items to be accomplished today; items to be worked on if there’s time and energy; and items spread throughout the week.

I also review the list at the end of the week. If I have multiple lists in my notebook, which sometimes happens, I consolidate them. I then write a list for Monday so that I’m ready to go. If I know what the day holds ahead of time, I can prepare accordingly.

To-do lists—at least ones of the pen-and-paper varieties—might not be how everybody gets things done, but it is how I do it. It works for me. I think I’ll stick with it.

Image: john.schultz (Creative Commons)