Hi, I’m Jani and I’m a list-a-holic!
My need to stay organised with lists is what’s kept me on track throughout my schooling and career, and I don’t know what I would’ve done without The Knot’s wedding planning app (complete with a chronological to-do list!) when I was planning my very own wedding just a few years ago. I’m a huge fan of lists and think they are a great way to not only focus on your priorities but learn to prioritise and can even be an insightful self-examination tool.
There is, however, an ugly side to list-building. While lists can be an effective way to tackle life, they can also be disempowering if not done the right way for you. It wasn’t until recently that I learned how to compile an effective to-do list. I’m still learning and hope that some of these to-do list strategies will help you better manage your time and energy.
My Top 3 To-Do List Strategies
You know I couldn’t resist making a list!
1. Understanding you
People process information differently. Some people prefer shorter, more categorical lists while others like to have everything listed in the one spot. Some people prefer handwritten lists and others like for their lists to be digitally organised. I’ve noticed that longer to-do lists make me feel overwhelmed and often leave me feeling dissatisfied with the (seemingly) little progress that has been made. I like to keep my to-do lists short by breaking them down into dynamic categories, static repetitive tasks and specific time frames. Ask yourself, what works best for you?
2. Ruthless prioritisation
This was no doubt my biggest challenge. I felt like I had a mountain of priorities competing with one another and I struggled with ordering them by importance. What actually helped me was to order my list by time sensitive tasks. What needed to be done immediately? What could wait? Breaking down your list into short and long term goals is a great first step to prioritising. The next step is to ask yourself “Why am I doing this?”. Focus on the quality of items not quantity. Be ruthless if it’s not serving a purpose and has little value. If certain items are frivolous, consider making a separate list for nagging tasks, and leave that list for something Gretchen Rubin likes to call Power Hour. (I personally love this!).
3. Rollover, delegate or drop
I also love Daniel Dipiazza’s (founder of Rich20Somethings) strategy for tackling to-do list items that haven’t been crossed off the list. I agree that it’s okay to cut yourself some slack and roll over certain items to the next day, but also agree that you should be careful and acknowledge when it’s time to either a) delegate the task to someone else (great for tasks that you feel comfortable having someone else do) or b) drop it entirely if nothing is working and it’s really not necessary… or again, set it aside for Power Hour.
A Few of My Favorite Lists (Aside from the Classic To-Do)
To-do lists are the most common type of list, but there are so many more!
1. Self improvement
It’s easy to become “human doings” instead of “human beings” with lists. That’s why it’s a good idea to balance your classic to-do lists with ways to be a better version of yourself. For example, I keep a list of healthy foods and foods to avoid on my fridge. I’m also a huge fan of Twitter lists and maintain a list of sources I want to keep up-to-speed with for my career growth. I even have my own relationship happiness project list that I’m currently working on and am learning a lot about myself and ways to better manage my (admittedly) short fuse with hubby dearest… Thanks for putting up with me, love. 🙂
2. The data dump
Sometimes you just really need a list that you can use as a dumping ground to clear your thoughts and make the randomness in life more manageable. This is a great list to consider if you’re noticing that your to-do list is getting longer and longer… but should not to be confused with your to-do list itself. I like to use this list to write down every single thing that I can think of that I need to do off the top of my head. Think of it as a form of release therapy. It’s important to release once in a while because you’re unknowingly draining precious energy every moment you’re thinking about everything that needs to be done. Go on, get it off your mind!
3. Did-do
This is one of my favorite ways of counteracting that feeling I mentioned earlier of dissatisfaction with unchecked to-do list items. It’s easy to lose sight of all the amazing things you’ve already done if you’re constantly focusing on all the things you need to do. Why not keep a list of the great things you’ve already accomplished in life? It’s a great way to give yourself a reminder and pat on the back each time you’re feeling overwhelmed or frustrated with your never-ending list of to-dos.
4. Power hour
See this article by Gretchen Rubin. Great habit for tackling those nagging tasks!
5. Descriptive praise
Last but not least, I’d like to give a special mention to Cynthia’s (founder of this blog you’re reading right now) Happiness Jar and descriptive praise cheat sheet. I don’t have kids (yet) but when it’s my time I will definitely be making a list of my own descriptive praises to practice gratitude and “catch my child doing good”. On the topic of kids, why not make a list for each kid and have them get involved too? It may even be a fun bonding exercise!
Love lists too?
Add a few of your own unique lists and strategies in the comments box below! They don’t necessarily have to do with traditional to-do lists. You may even like to add more “fun” lists like a list of your favorite memories that you like to recall every now and then to get you to your “happy place”. I’d love for you to share your experiences with all forms of list-building strategies and how you use them to better manage your time and energy.
photo credit: Ziva & Amir via Flickr