To-Do-Lists Best Practices

It can be challenging to stay organized with so much going on in our lives- both professionally and personally. A great way to stay on top of all our tasks is to create a to-do list. Perhaps you are new to the to-do list process or just looking to make a change. Either way, check out these to-do list best practices below. 

1. Choose the Right Format for You
The first step in refining your to-do-list process is to choose a format that fits you best. If you prefer technology to keep organized, to-do apps such as Todoist, Any.do, or Microsoft To-Do are excellent options. These programs offer features like built-in reminders, the ability to save your to-do list to the cloud, and view tasks by type (priority, due date, alphabetically).
 
If you prefer a traditional approach, your favorite notebook and pen combo will work just as well. For pen and paper folks, check out our Fountain Pens as a Hobby blog post. 

2. List your Weekly Commitments and Prioritize your Tasks
An effective way to start your workweek is to list all of your weekly commitments first. By doing so, you can gauge the amount of work that needs to be completed. Do not forget to include your personal tasks as well to see the full picture. 
 
Once you have your weekly commitments on hand, consider prioritizing your tasks from least urgent to most urgent. Using a prioritization-based system will help you identify what you need to be working on next so due dates will not sneak up on you. 
Additionally, be sure to break down larger projects into smaller to-dos on your list. This requires you to think through the project and consider how much time it will take to complete. 

3. Create a Daily Schedule  
If you are still feeling overwhelmed by your weekly schedule, consider creating a daily schedule too. If you are unsure how to create a daily schedule, learn more about these three task management types below: 

• MIT: Leo Babauta utilizes a system called the Most Important Task or MIT. He suggests picking between one and three of your most essential tasks. Those are the only ones you focus on until they are complete. 
• Ivy Lee Method: This 100-year-old method suggests that you choose six tasks to focus on the next day at the end of every workday. Then, prioritize each task from 1-6 and work on them from most to least critical until all are completed.
• 1-3-9: At the beginning of each workday, choose 13 tasks to focus on. One high priority task, three medium-priority tasks, and nine lower-priority tasks. Complete from highest priority to lowest priority. 

Carry Over Uncompleted Items
Lastly, do not forget to review all unfinished tasks at the end of the week. Contemplate if any of these unfinished tasks can be “canceled” if they are no longer necessary. Also, ensure necessary tasks are moved to a future week. This review process is vital as it will prevent you from letting any tasks slip through the cracks. 
 
Overall, there is no one perfect system for everyone, but you can create the perfect system for yourself. Explore different technologies and methods and find what works best for you. 

 
Moser, L. (2020, June 19). Best To-Do List Formats - Productivity Tips. Retrieved July 21, 2020, from https://www.themuse.com/advice/in-defense-of-a-paper-todo-list-and-how-…;
 
Duffy, J. (2020, June 01). 10 Ways to Make Better To-Do Lists. Retrieved July 21, 2020, from https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/10-ways-to-make-better-to-do-lists 
 
Cooper, B. (2020, April 10). 7 Ways to Write a Better To-Do List and Get More Done. Retrieved July 21, 2020, from https://www.meistertask.com/blog/how-to-write-a-better-to-do-list-and-g…;