Between housework, work-work, working out, and making friendships work, achieving goals, meeting expectations, and making deadlines always seem like more work than the work itself.
Creating an efficient to-do list is an amazing first step. You’re finally sitting in front of the Hallowed Checklist of Fate. And if you’re not yet, add making a to-do list to your to-do list.
Not everyone runs on lists. However, if you’re struggling to make sense of your goals, a list could save you time, energy, and the need to come up with excuses for when the thing that needs to happen, well, doesn’t.
The problem is this: Not all lists are created equal.
Pick a medium
Make multiples
Create several lists of things that need to happen. Our suggestions would be:
A master list. This lays out your long-term goals. If you need to clean out your closet and whatever’s living in there, want to sign up for a language class, or need to move to a new apartment, jot it all down on your master list.
This should contain everything that needs to go down in the next 7 days. Maybe you need to research which language to learn or which area to start your apartment search. Throw it in here.
A high-impact tasks list. This bad boy lets you know about tasks that need doing pronto: Call Aunt Sue for her birthday, pick up the dry cleaning, or finish that presentation for work tomorrow.
Every day, see which items from the master list and weekly project list should move to the HIT list. You’ll find that the big hitters from your master list start to play a more active role in your day-to-day.
And who doesn’t enjoy rubbing shoulders with their ambitions? For more guidance on infusing your life with meaning, look no further.
Keep it simple
Meet the MITs
Start easy
Break it down
Stay specific
Include it all
Time it
Don’t stress
Make it public
Schedule scheduling
Go in with the old
Start fresh
Make a new list every day so the same old items don’t clog up the agenda. If something lives on the to-do list for too long, it does not get to-done, and that is to-disappointing.
Be flexible
Pro tip: Always leave about 15 minutes of “cushion time” in between items on the to-do list or calendar.
This leaves you wiggle room. Yes, we know we drummed home the importance of not sleeping at the laundromat to get your washing finished, but you shouldn’t stress yourself out to meet self-imposed timings.