Making to-do lists is an excellent way to help keep us organized. Especially for those of us who stick to routines, to-do lists can certainly come in handy. However, not all of us are good at this task. So what is the best way to make a to do list? There are many approaches to tackling this practice, but I will stick to one effective way for this post.
Best Approach For Making A To-Do List
I’ve written before about how to make a to-do list. I think they’re great to use daily- I do it myself.
If I didn’t do it, I would be lost on what I needed to do on a given day. I end up going down a big rabbit hole, and my time and effort would all go to waste. So that’s why I make to-do lists regardless of how organized I am.
But, if there’s one good way to make to-do lists, then it would be prioritization. I can’t tell you how important it is to prioritize your tasks while you’re planning out your day.
Prioritizing
The process of prioritizing tasks may sound complex, but it’s more simple than you might think. When prioritizing, you’re breaking down to just a few things rather than having a giant list of tasks to do.
You see, many people end up writing giant laundry lists of things they need to get done each day. The problem is some people don’t end up checking every single item off their list.
Believe me- I’ve done that before and I failed at it multiple times. It’s one reason I stopped doing it two years ago, and I’m glad I don’t make it harder on myself now.
Rather than making a large to-do list, I make a priority list of just a few things to do. It all boils down to the top three important things I need to get done.
What To Ask Yourself
When writing out your priority list, ask yourself the following questions:
1.) Did I get my most crucial tasks done the day before?
- If so, did it help where I want to go?
- If not, what went wrong and how can I address it moving forward?
2.)What are the three most important tasks I need to get done today?
- If not three, what are one-two things I need to do?
- OR, what is the one thing I need to do today to move things forward? *
3.) What else could I do today if I have time, but that’s not a priority?
*Move things forward- That could mean anything going on in your personal life. OR, if you’re building a business, that could mean long-term growth for your business.
I’ve found that by asking myself these questions every day, I get a better understanding of what I need to do. Whether that’s for my business or personal life, it helps out a lot.
Final Words
Making a to-do list should not be that difficult. Or as I mentioned, it’s more of a priority list. When writing out our priorities, it feels more urgent and necessary to do meaningful things.
If you want to make the most out of your list, asking those questions can be beneficial. Also, you’re just creating that giant bucket list of things you feel that you have to get done right away.
As long as you take care of your most important tasks, it’ll help make your days go by smoothly.
Your Turn: What’s your best approach to making a to-do list?
Please let me know what you think about this topic. Do you make to-do lists every day?
Are they short and precise where you get stuff done? Or are they long to the point you might not cross off every single item there?
Do you like the top three things? What do you think is a better way to make a to-do list?
Feel free to share your thoughts by leaving a comment below. I look forward to reading them, and I’m happy to help answer any questions you may have.
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Eric is the owner and chief editor of notimekillers.com. He takes great pride in helping people manage their time and grow their businesses. Eric is a firm believer in financial and time freedom, as he believes in financial independence and taking ownership of your time. “Time is your most important asset. It can be your best friend or worst enemy. How you use your time can shape the future you desire to have.” In his leisure time, Eric loves to write and read whenever possible. He enjoys going for long walks outdoors while doing in-home workout videos every week. You can also connect with Eric via LinkedIn.
This post is the kind of article we need! Whenever making a list, one tends to begin writing what first comes to mind, and when finishing the list, it does not make any sense.
Love the way you use the “priority” word, as it has a great impact on the reader. I do tend to write a list of “to-do” daily at work, but I usually end up doing half of it.
Will take your tips and check tomorrow! Thanks!
Hi Johnny,
Previously, that’s what I used to do writing out to-do lists. I have an idea or task down, but then I don’t actually do it.
You think that would be the usual outcome- you write down a task you need to do, but then you don’t properly follow up on it. A lot of people fall short of doing that, so it gets frustrating sometimes.
Understanding how to prioritize tasks is something to master over time. If you know which tasks to prioritize, you’ll already be one step ahead of the game.
I’m glad to know this post helped you out. Best of luck using these tips- feel free to reach out for help or provide feedback.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts- they’re very much appreciated.