Making a stellar to-do list is my superpower. 
There are a few things that I’m good at. It took me many years to figure out what these things were, but now it’s quite clear.
The reason why people think I am so great at everything is because of my response time. It’s the fact that I don’t forget things.
In reality, if I didn’t set expectations for myself with a clearly laid out plan, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I would absolutely forget things.
Reasons Why You Need A List
You can’t keep everything in your head. There’s too much going on. 
Even if you don’t have a lot going on at the moment, things can (and will) be forgotten if you don’t get it out of your brain and onto paper.
Every single day, you have a choice to do whatever you want to do or do what needs to be done. How are you going to hold yourself accountable?   
It is so simple. You can be the go-to person in all aspects of your life by writing things down.
Most likely, you don’t want to be a disappointment to anyone. You want to make your kids happy. Plus you want your spouse or significant other happy. You want your boss and co-workers to be happy. Most importantly – You want you to be happy.
This is your golden ticket to changing so many aspects of your life.
To sum all of this up if you still need convincing, these are the things that will happen once you start your daily to-do list:
- You will stop telling people “I forgot”, “I dropped the ball”, “I had so much going on today”, “I’m not sure how I missed that.”
- Your kids will be able to depend on you, knowing you will get it done.
- Co-workers will feel relieved when you say you’ll handle something.
- Your boss will begin to see you as someone who always gets it done.
- You will no longer feel like you have a million things going on at once.
- A sense of accomplishment will be felt each time you mark something off your list.
- Even with 100 items on your list, you will feel free.
Tools You Need To Get Started
There’s two things you need in order to get started with a daily to-do list.
The first thing is a pen. 🖊 
The second is paper. I actually suggest some sort of small notepad that you can keep near you at all times, perhaps in your purse.
Here’s an example:
I don’t like to spend on unnecessary things. However, spending $6 on a to-do list planner that can help me get my life together is worth it to me.
Any type of notepad will work.
I know lots of people use apps or notes or some other digital checklist.
Let me tell you right now – there’s something extra special about writing items down on paper. Please don’t knock it until you try it.
Start Your List – Top 3 Priorities
I never say “I’m done for the day” before creating my to-do list for the next day.
Whatever I didn’t check off on Monday will get carried over onto Tuesday.
I like the to-do list from Amazon shown above because it has a “Top Priorities” section. Every day, you will move three things that are most important to the top of your list. 
So start there. If the paper or notepad you have doesn’t have a sections for top three, don’t worry.
Just write 1, 2, and 3 and create your own top three. You will know what it means.
Now write in the three things that are weighing on you most heavily. 
Is there something heavily weighing on you, but you know it will take more than a single day to complete? No worries! Break it down into sections.
For example, if you have a large PowerPoint project for work that needs to be done but it will take days, break it down. What is a reasonable amount of the project that you could complete in one day? Perhaps it’s the first 2 pages of your deck. Maybe it’s only researching a specific topic. Whatever it is, place it onto your to-do list.
Set yourself up for success by not overcommitting yourself. If you think you may have time to go even further on the project, create another to-do item for the next section of the presentation.
Finishing Off Your List
Once you have your three top priorities listed out, now offload everything else in your mind.
Write down everything. Even the smallest thing, write it down.
Got something you’ve been trying to keep in your brain but it’s not technically due for another month? Write it down.
Even things that you aren’t sure if you need to do, write them down.
Have you been thinking about doing something, like furthering your education, but you’re not quite ready to tackle it? Write down “think about furthering my education”.
Some of these items may get carried over on your to-do list for days (or even weeks) and that’s perfectly fine. The idea here is to get everything out of your brain and onto paper.
I personally feel a sense of automatic relief every single time that I get something out of my brain and on my to-do list. I’m not even close to finishing the task, but the fact that I know I will because I have it written down is so insanely satisfying.
Your First Day With The To-Do List
Today is the day that you start slashing items off your list.
The first three priorities you wrote down should be the things you knock out as early as possible in the morning.
Make sure you pace yourself. Most likely, you had a lot of items to get out of you brain and the list is pretty long.
If something pops up throughout the day that you need to add to your list, add it. Could you knock this item out quickly so that it doesn’t carry over to tomorrow? If not, don’t fret.
If you don’t have your to-do list with you when something comes up that you would like to add to the list, don’t simply make a mental note as you will forget later. Most likely you have your phone nearby. Place the to-do list item in the notes sections on your phone temporarily. Add it to your physical list when you have it nearby.
The idea here is to never feel burdened by trying to remember anything. You’re constantly clearing your mind when you’re placing the to-do item somewhere else.
Setting Up Time Blocks
This is a skill I mastered later in life and it has served me well on massively busy to-do list days.
To keep myself motivated and on track, I set up blocks of time next to each to-do list item.
For example:
- 9:00 – 9:15 Check all emails and respond as necessary (timing for this may vary depending on how many emails you receive in a day)
- 9:15 – 9:40 Write a specific email to accounting regarding budget
- 9:40 – 10:05 Look into vacation ideas for summer break with the kids
- 10:05 – 10:15 – Break/Breather
- 10:15 – 10:45 Meet with Boss
- 10:45 – 11:00 Review Agenda for Afternoon Meeting
- 11:00 – 11:30 Lunch
I usually give myself more than enough time to get each task done. If I finish before the time is up, I reward myself by either taking a breather or getting a head start on the next to-do list item.
To-Do List Everywhere!
Once I mastered my to-do list at work and became the person that everyone looks up to because I’m so efficient, I carried it over to my home life.
I have a to-do list at work, one at home, and one revolving around weekend cleaning.
This may sound crazy.
However, I have faith that once you see what a to-do list can do for you, you will want it in every aspect of your life.
Final Thoughts On A To-Do List
I’m not the smartest person at work. I don’t have all the answers.
However, utilizing a to-do list has been the number one reason I am in the position I’m in.
It makes me organized. It allows me to appear like I never forget anything. Even when I don’t have the answer, I’ll tell someone that I’ll look into it, I’ll add “research xxx” to my to-do list and I’ll get back to them later with what I’ve found.
I’m dependable and I can tell you right now that being organized is what so many people are lacking.
I’m not a super mom. I’ve been a working mother for the past eighteen years.
However, my kids know that they can always depend on me to remember things because of my list.
Good luck to you in your to-do list journey. Know that if you can stick with it, it becomes a game that’s incredibly rewarding.
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