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How to make a to-do list that simplifies your life

March 1, 2024 - 17 min read

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4 benefits of a well-made to-do list

4 types of to-do lists

How to make a to-do list that works: 6 tips

Do more and stress less

You have a sticky note on the bathroom mirror that says “floss” and a shopping list on the side of the refrigerator for groceries. You send yourself emails with good ideas or notes on new restaurants you want to try. And you have calendars and task boards at work. 

You have a lot to do. And when your reminders are all over the place, you might find it difficult to actually keep track. 

While making lists is generally a good habit, disorganized to-do list systems can dampen your productivity. Writing down your tasks with intention is the best way to get everything done and reach goals

Learn how to make a to-do list that simplifies your life instead of complicating it. Centralizing tasks on a logical list helps you tick off essential tasks quickly without letting any slip through the cracks.

4 benefits of a well-made to-do list

If you’ve ever jotted down a pending task and felt relief, or experienced a surge of pride upon ticking off an action item, you’re already familiar with the benefits of a great to-do list. But it can bring more than just satisfaction.

A study published in the ​​Journal of Personality and Social Psychology showed that making a to-do list can actually be more impactful than completing tasks themselves. When participants who’d previously failed to reach a goal created a plan for revisiting them, it reduced anxiety and intrusive thoughts.

To-do lists give you a place to write down your thoughts and take action on tasks that need completion. And when you build a functional to-do list that encourages you to push through tasks in an organized way, you further benefit in the following ways:

1. You learn what to prioritize 

Well-made to-do lists have clear deadlines to encourage completion. Some action items might have unambiguous, immovable due dates, like a family gathering on a specific weekend or a job application you have to send by Monday.

Making a note of pending dates and pushing upcoming tasks to the top of your priorities helps you stay on track. Then, you can schedule less pressing tasks at times that suit you. 

You may not be able to paint your kitchen this weekend because you have to prioritize that family outing or start polishing your resume. Having a clear to-do list lets you set a later deadline and enjoy your revamped kitchen instead of pushing off painting indefinitely.

2. You don’t take on too much 

If you make a to-do list that’s 100 items long without any organization, the volume might overwhelm you. You might not be able to complete every task, and that can be disappointing.

Creating a system that allows for a reasonable number of action items at once, with space for future ones, will help you finish everything on time without forgetting about what’s next. And when you prove to yourself that you can complete every activity listed, you’ll experience satisfaction instead of guilt or frustration. 

3. You don’t forget tasks

When you write down tasks you must complete, you reduce the risk of forgetting to send an email your boss asked you to. And if you use a digital task checklist or calendar, you can schedule automated reminders so even if you do forget, your to-do list doesn’t.

And there’s another perk of keeping yourself on track: reduced stress. If you’ve ever ruminated on something you weren’t able to finish, then you’ve experienced the Zeigarnik Effect. This psychological phenomenon happens when you remember abandoned tasks better than the ones you completed. A to-do list can help take that weight off your shoulders.

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4. You reach your goals

Future goals can excite and motivate you to finish the smaller objectives you need to hit along the way. And while knowing what you hope to achieve is an excellent first step, you have to make an action plan to get there. 

Making to-do lists can encourage you to break up big goals into actionable tasks. If you want to get your master’s degree, you could add activities like researching programs and costs, visiting schools, and finishing your application to your running list.

As you work through tasks, you can continue to subdivide them to further fuel your motivation and progress. Readying your application may actually be several smaller tasks, like mapping the requirements, writing a standout essay, and working on your resume.

4 types of to-do lists

If you’re making lists but not seeing a boost in productivity, your tasking style can likely use a refresh. You can foster better organizational habits with the following types of lists:

1. A schedule

In this daily to-do list style, you plot tasks over time, often in a calendar. This is an excellent way to plan activities because you can set aside sufficient time to complete them and keep your deadlines front of mind. 

Scheduling also helps you avoid biting off more than you can chew. If you want to take a yoga class and catch up with a friend after work, you might realize you don’t have time for both when you put them in your schedule. A calendar visualizes the overlap and helps you reschedule whichever activity is easier to move to another day. 

You can also up your game with a digital to-do list or online bullet journal, which let you make quick changes and receive automated alerts. Plus, you’ll benefit from a user-friendly interface and tidy graphics that make it easier to visualize scheduled tasks. 

2. 1-2-3 task lists

The 1-2-3 to-do list idea helps you organize activities by level of urgency. You’ll organize your to-do list into three different columns:

  • List 1 includes the most important or time-sensitive tasks you must complete today
  • List 2 features two activities that are very high priority but don’t need to get done today
  • List 3 notes three small but unimportant tasks you can complete today

One of the potential errors of list-making is including mostly quick and simple tasks so you can check off the boxes to feel like you’ve accomplished a lot. But you may not have sufficient time to complete more significant, more pressing tasks. With a 1-2-3 list, you tick off tasks you must do today, plus a few small ones to feel like you’re making better progress getting through your backlog.

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3. Project management databases

Project management tools help managers prioritize, delegate, and schedule tasks, but they aren’t just for team environments. You can use them for your personal to-do lists. Project management styles like Agile or Kanban, and platforms like Asana and Todoist, can help you systemize your schedule and integrate more variables into every task. 

These platforms allow you to make task cards, customize category tags like home, work, or family, and add prioritization levels and due dates. Many of these apps encourage you to move cards from “To-do” to “Doing” and “Done” columns, helping you keep track of progress.

If you have lots to do or need to incorporate lots of factors into your to-do list items, one of these systems might work well for you.

4. A not-to-do list

Some tasks don’t bring you closer to your goals. They only take up time and energy or provide a tempting distraction. Maybe you spend too much time in your company’s social chat while you should be advancing other tasks, or you scroll through your email even though there’s nothing urgent there. If so, you should try using a not-to-do list.

A not-to-do list is a place to identify these unhelpful “tasks.” It’s a reminder of the activities that could be holding you back. In the social chat example, you might add “Don’t respond to every coworker’s post” to your not-to-do list. 

A not-to-do list can also help you keep track of habits you hope to break in your personal life. If spending time on your laptop before bed makes it more difficult for you to go to sleep, you could add something like “No screens after 9 PM” to the list.

How to make a to-do list that works: 6 tips

The first tip for making a great to-do list is to decide on a methodology. Whether you use a project management tool or handwritten 1-2-3 lists, stick to a consistent task-planning approach. Then, take full advantage of your list by applying the following best practices: 

1. Prioritize tasks

Prioritizing tasks is a two-pronged activity. First, identify what you need to complete today. Then, decide which tasks are most important.

That way, you place tasks in a clear order from most to least urgent, ensuring your work has as much value as possible. Prioritization tools like the Eisenhower matrix or decision matrix are both great places to start.

Here’s a to-do list example to demonstrate the concept. Today, you might have to give a presentation, work on a quarterly report, and respond to non-urgent emails. You must prioritize the presentation because the activity needs to happen today.

The report, while pressing, isn’t due today, so you can work on it a little and save the rest for later. Then, you’ll only respond to emails if you have enough time.

2. Delegate

You can’t and shouldn’t take on your to-do list alone. Some activities occupy too much time when you do them on your own and force you to push off other high-priority tasks. Other activities require teamwork and delegation

Take the example of planning a check-in meeting for your team. You have to collect up-to-date data, schedule the meeting, and make an agenda for the day of. It’s a busy day, so instead of trying to complete everything yourself, you can ask individuals to do smaller tasks.

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3. Automate routine tasks

Technology makes it easy to automate routine tasks. With AI tools and websites, you can set up recurring bill payments and purchases, schedule appointments with little back-and-forth, and even automate professional tasks like sending emails or drafting documents. If possible, let technology take tasks off your plate. 

Maybe you work in customer service and continuously receive the same questions from customers. Instead of manually responding with the same answers every time, you could set up a system that replies automatically. This lets you focus on more unique and urgent tasks.

4. Keep tasks small

You might end up adding actions to your to-do list that are too big. A task should entail one or just a few steps, and anything more needs breaking down.

Sending an email is a task. You write it, push send, and it’s off. But finding a new apartment is not a task because it encompasses many steps. You have to contact a real estate agent, see spaces in person, and prepare paperwork. Instead of writing “Find an apartment” on your to-do list, it’s much more effective to write down those individual tasks.

Scan your to-do list for actions you can break up into smaller ones. Then, split them into subtasks. You’ll approach your day with better organization and clarity instead of jumping into a “task” that overwhelms you because it’s too large to complete. 

5. Set a deadline

Everyone’s had tasks that seem to take forever to complete. Maybe you have a bag of used clothing in your closet that you’ve been meaning to donate, or you’ve been wanting to ask your boss about growth opportunities for months. If you don’t set a due date, those tasks might continue to stay on the back burner. 

Setting deadlines for pressing tasks, like a project you must complete by Friday, is mostly straightforward. But it’s much more challenging for low-priority tasks that don’t have a clear end.

Try setting a deadline that’s far enough to give you time but close enough that the end is in reach. It might be the only way to push yourself away from procrastination and toward clearing items from your list. 

6. Group tasks

Further organize your to-do list planner by grouping tasks. Consider which daily tasks you can do at the same time or in the same location. That way, you can cross them all off at the same time instead of going back and forth. 

If you need to be home for a few hours while you wait for a package, group tasks you can do around the house, like cleaning up or meal prepping. Or if you’re using a certain software for work, complete all the tasks you need that software for at the same time.

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Do more and stress less

You know how to make a list, but you can likely level up your scheduling skills. An effective to-do list should help you save time and complete tasks efficiently, and making this kind of plan takes prioritization, forethought, and structure. 

By learning how to create a to-do list with intention, you power through high-impact tasks, find more efficient ways to organize your day, and make space for rest and relaxation.

Prevent yourself from stress with a to-do list that matches your cadence and your needs. From a piece of paper to a task management app, you’ll find it’s easier to complete everything by the end of the day.

Boost your productivity

Maximize your time and productivity with strategies from our expert coaches.

Boost your productivity

Maximize your time and productivity with strategies from our expert coaches.

Published March 1, 2024

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships.

With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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