How to use a To-do list to become more productive
I have an elder sister I admire extremely who is a frightfully organized person. The instant you set foot in her room and casually go towards her reading space, you need no one to spell out how structured her life is.
Although she has a lot of responsibilities to handle, Paradoxically, she seemed to be managing her time perfectly fine.
Conversely, I do not engage in half as much as she does but my surroundings take on a rather haphazard look. This is a result of having terribly chaotic and disorganized thought processes.
After much observation and some cloak-and-dagger activities ― I realized she consistently kept a to-do list. She had a lot of post-it notes where she wrote her goals and things she needed to do urgently.
This was quite impressive considering how long she persisted with this routine and the tremendous help it presented. Upon contemplation, I decided to test it on myself.
HOW I STARTED
Starting was not as easy as I imagined. I thought ‘Well let me just write some things on a piece of paper and get started’ but it was more difficult than that. I didn’t have the slightest bit of idea on what to write.
Sad to say I solemnly realized I had no goals to make plans on. I downplayed this realization by procrastinating on when to start the to-do list. As my sister has my best interest at heart, she always persuaded me to write the list. It was too much of a task to stick to something.
For the To-do list to bring fulfillment rather than frustration you need consistency, and I seldom stick to anything. The excuses kept piling and the chief of those excuses was ‘the list doesn’t work for me’ whereas I never made substantial effort to stick to it.
Eventually, I knew I had to make a difference in order to become a better person. Hence, I made a firm resolution to use the To-do list consistently for two weeks.
WHERE TO BEGIN
You need to jot down goals you plan on achieving. You should write both short and long term goals. Put in writing all the tasks that need to be completed no matter how mundane it may seem ― take notes. The theme of your list should be ‘what do I want to achieve this year’.
If you are like me and thinking of goals to commit to paper has proved daunting ― Jotting down hobbies you would like to get may well be a wonderful start. Also, skills you would like to acquire and big dreams on your mind should be added to the list.
Before you begin to write your goals look for a quiet place to stay, in so doing there would be less distractions.
There are numerous apps that make this process easier, but I prefer using a pen and a paper because I am able to write down all that I am thinking.
WRITING THE TO-DO LIST
Writing out your goals gives you a guide on what to jot in your To-do list but it all depends on how your normal routine is.
You can make your To-do list more aesthetic, but I prefer not to waste so much time.
Activities would inevitably happen between your scheduled To-do list. You may exceed the decided time or urgently need to do something other than what is in your To-do list.
It is perfectly fine to skip things on your list, it isn’t a do or die affair. Attaching a specific time helps in harnessing that particular period.
Consequently, assuming you are spending an hour reading a book then that hour is spared for reading only the book― no more.
Knowing things are not static, your list has to be versatile. Your day’s conduct is changeable so don’t become too attached to the list in the sense of being too hard on yourself when you don’t exhaust everything on the list.
Every now and then, if I’m not sure of how my day would be, I don’t bother to set a time― I only write down what I am to do that day in order of when it should be done.
Take your time when setting the To-do list ― If you try to do too much at once your goals would conflict with one another and the list would not be as productive as it should be.
TIMING
You may prefer to write your to-do list in the morning or the night before, Whichever works for you.
I ironically find myself writing in the morning in spite of the fact that I know writing a night before makes it easier for me ― Laziness can be a pain in the back.
Occasionally, it may take a long time to write a to-do list. Presumptively you have many things to do or you find it difficult to arrange your list in order of relevance. Akin to that, I advise you to stick to writing a night before to avoid frustration.
WILL POWER
You cannot fully encompass or bask in the euphoria of completing your To-do list without having self-discipline. Self-discipline is as important as writing down your goals. Being disciplined allows you to be prudent with your time. Consistency is borne out of self discipline.
This To-do list has helped me take control of my life. It helped me become more specific in how to execute my life goals. Ticking off things from my list makes me awfully fulfilled.
I may not do everything on my list but having a plan just makes things less messy for me. I believe you shouldn’t strike off having a To-do list just yet― try it out. Use the To-do list for a while, and I guarantee you would be more productive.
