10 top tips to tame your to-do list
I am a fan of the to-do list. Chronic health conditions that create brain fog and fatigue mean that I generally operate with the if it’s not written down it is not happening rule. With a demanding job and a busy private life, I find lists invaluable. However, experience has taught a to-do list can quickly become overwhelming, leading to stress, burnout, and a perpetual feeling of never quite catching up. It can become another tool to beat yourself with for not achieving all that you wanted to. By taking control of your to-do list, you can prioritize tasks effectively, focus on what truly matters, and create a more balanced and manageable daily routine. Let’s explore how you can tame your to-do list forever.
1. Start small
This one works well for those of you (myself included) who get satisfaction from crossing things off the list. This one works by going for the easy win. Start with the small task and this makes it feel like you have achieved something. Easy wins for me, for example, include running the carpet sweeper around, and tidying up ( I should point out I live in a teeny tiny studio, I can clean it all fully in about 2 and a half hours, if you have a huge four-bed house this may not be an easy win for you), putting a load of washing on, doing the dishes anything that can be done quickly.
2. Breakdown tasks
This one fits neatly with the one above. It can be applied to home or work life with ease and can help tame your to-do list. Here it is about breaking tasks into smaller parts so they don’t feel so overwhelming. So, sticking with the cleaning example I might want to clean the kitchen. This then might mean breaking it down into smaller tasks such as cleaning the kitchen sink, the sides, the cooker, the fridge, the table, the bins, and so on. This makes everything seem much more manageable and will make progress much more visible.
3. Be realistic
I cannot over-emphasize this one enough. I work in mental health and one of the biggest challenges some of my clients face is being unrealistic. They will have 15 things on their to-do list all taking 30 minutes each and give themselves 2 hours to do it all. That is never going to work. It tends to lead to guilt and shame and we feel like failures. If you are guilty of this, I know I always used to be, think about what is on your to-do list and the amount of time you will need to achieve it, and tailor your list accordingly.
4. Pick your top 3 things to do
This links to the above. If you struggle with being unrealistic and constantly find you overestimate how much you can get done then rather than trying to do it all pick your 3 most important ones and just do those. That way you will feel like you have achieved something which again will give you motivation to continue.
5. Cut your to-do list in half
Yep, that’s right just go through your list and remove half the things on it. If the world isn’t going to end if you don’t do it, if no one’s health is on the line, or if it is not an essential part of your job for which you will get fired if you do not do it, just sack it off. We are all human, we all put too much pressure on ourselves to do it all. You will be amazed at how liberating that one can be. It also helps with number three as you start looking at tasks with a fresh set of eyes and start questioning whether you really need to do it all.
6. Question if it needs to be done now
This is a good question to ask yourself. I used to be guilty of thinking I had to do everything right now and realistically you do not. I like to sew and do crafts and I would feel guilty about the lack of progress on these during the summer months. They would be permanently on my to-do list reminding me I had failed to complete them. This then changed when I looked at it from a time perspective. Now I run different task lists depending on priorities, see below.
7. Tame your to-do list by creating different lists
This links to the above. I have immediate, short- and longer-term task lists. This helps me organise my time and feel more in control. Immediate tasks include making sure I have food for the day and lunch for tomorrow, the things that link with my day-to-day routine. Short term might be repairing clothing, cleaning out cupboards and longer term might be sewing projects. I have accepted that I do not sew in summer I want to be out and about enjoying the sunshine so unless it is an urgent sewing task I just add it and on a cold wet windy day in February, I will do it then.
8. Use a calendar or day planner
Modern technology can be great and can be a useful aid in planning tasks. You can put them into your calendar on your phone, use a notes section, excel spreadsheet (this is my preferred method for both work and home), or even a simple notebook (my second favourite method), but it is about having the right tools to help you do this. That way you have planned time to do them so more likely to get them. However, if you are using this method don’t forget to plan in the time to relax also. Also, follow your diary and not your mood which can aid with motivation.
9. Use an urgent and important list to tame your to-do list
I was introduced to this technique when I was doing my teacher training. Since then I have used it a lot. Teaching was stressful and one of those jobs where there was always something to do. I then moved into mental health and again especially when I first started I found this technique invaluable. So at its simplest divide a piece of paper into four squares. Label the top left square Urgent and Important, the top right square Urgent not important, the bottom left square Important and not urgent, and the final square Not urgent and not important. That way you will clearly see what needs to be actioned now. You can also move things through the boxes so not urgent but important may overtime move to the urgent and important. This one helps tremendously with feelings of overwhelm and makes sure I am focussing on priorities and is a great to-do list tamer.
10. Review and revise regularly
Those of you who are regular readers here will know that this one comes up a lot. I can not stress enough the importance of reviewing your to-do list regularly. Regular reviews keep it up-to-date and current. It means you always know what your priorities are.
So these are my top tips to tame your to-do list forever. Doing so can be a weight off your shoulders, leading to a calmer relaxed life. I encourage you to start implementing them, slowly, one by one and tame your to-do list forever.
