My to-do list acts as a guiding light to organize my days and get things done. Over time, I’ve discovered little hacks that help me write a to-do list which puts procrastination on a leash and launches me into productivity mode without fail.
In this post, I’m sharing those hacks. We’re all different though, so if some of these tips don’t work for you, share in the comments what works for you!
I swear by the following when it comes to writing my to-do lists.
Address the why-power of tasks prior to adding them to the to-do list.
In my experience, will power and motivation aren’t reliable. Why-power, however, is. The reason behind doing a task acts as a reinforcing factor and helps create discipline and momentum. Before I add a task to my list, I spend a moment to understand the value it creates. This simple exercise prevents me from adding meaningless tasks to my list, which I would procrastinate on as they deliver no to low value.
Complete to-do list items that take less than two-minutes to finish straight away.
I don’t see value in placing tasks that take under two minutes to complete on my to-do list. Instead, I try to tackle them straight away. Adding these small, usually low value, tasks to the to-do list makes it lengthy for no reason. Even if I do put these tasks on the list, I find myself avoiding them. So tasks like folding laundry, loading the dishwasher, setting up a meeting invite, etc. don’t make my to-do list.
Separate running to-do list with a long-term master to-do list.
I keep a separate master list to keep an overview of everything I would like to get done over time. Periodically, I move tasks from the master list to my running list. However, overall I keep the latter focused on immediate priorities only. By keeping my running and long-term lists separate, I’m able to better understand and focus on my day to day priorities.
Write actionable to-do list bullets.
I make it easy for my brain to process what it needs to do. Instead of scribbling down random words that make little sense when read later in time, I write actions that speak for themselves. For e.g. I would write “call the doctor’s office to make an appointment about neck pain” instead of “doctor’s appointment.” The latter lacks clear instruction that makes me avoid the task in the present.
Break down big to-dos into small tasks.
Similar to writing vague tasks, writing big tasks is also counterproductive. When tasks are too large, the immediate action to take on them becomes unclear. So, instead of writing “work on thesis,” which is broad and huge, I would write “read the first chapter of Foucault’s Discipline and Punish for literature review.” I’m much more likely to act on the latter.
Schedule to-dos in your agenda.
I schedule my personal and work to-dos in my Google and Outlook agendas respectively. By nature, I’m prone to taking on more. This step helps me be realistic about the tasks I can complete on a given day based my availability. It also gives me peace of mind and sound sleep when my tasks are scheduled. I know they will eventually get done without my missing any deadlines.
Use the Pomodoro technique for the difficult or boring tasks
There are always tasks that I find difficult to start with like translating a complex regulation into business requirements or that are too mundane like filing taxes. For these tasks, I find the Pomodoro technique works like magic. Essentially, the technique requires you to switch off from everything for 25 minutes and single-task. I find it easy to commit to 25 minutes of work without distractions. Usually, I build momentum in those 25 minutes and continue to work even after the 25 minutes are over.
Hope this post helps you in writing the to-do list that will take you a mile further in your goals!
Do you already use any of these hacks or come across one that you plan to use ? Share with me in the comments!
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