DIMES! Do you ever get overwhelmed when you’re thinking about all the things you have to get done in one day? It feels like 24 hours just isn’t enough time to get all these tasks done. It’s already beginning to feel like a bad day and the day has just begun! Well, we’ve all been there and this is where to-do lists come in to save the day!
If you know me well, you know that I have a bit of a list obsession – I just love a good list! But for all of you who aren’t list-lovers like I am, sometimes guidance is needed.
It’s all about that feeling you get when you complete something and can check it off. You get that sense of relief and accomplishment – it’s like a weight is lifted off your shoulders. Also, it’s much easier to plan your day to be more productive when you can see all your tasks in one place.
I write a to-do list every single day, typically in the mornings when I have a clear head. On nights when I can’t stop thinking and my mind is racing, I’ll write my to-do list for the next day. I’m able to fall asleep much quicker when I have all my worries on paper. There is something about writing all your thoughts down and seeing them on paper that is very therapeutic. Now I don’t have to worry about forgetting things because my to-do list remembers them for me!
Making a to-do list is easy, but creating one that is effective is where some people fall short. Follow my 4 steps below and you will not only be able to make the perfect list, but you will start to see a major difference in your life; more productivity & less stress.
Even if you’re not a list lover like me, you should give it a go! You may be surprised.
How To Organize Your Life With To-Do Lists:
1. BRAIN DUMP:
Take about 5-10 minutes to write down everything that is going on in your mind. Don’t worry about how it looks or if it’s in order of importance or any of that yet. Simply just scribble out all your thoughts. You should already start to feel less stressed just by getting them all down on paper.
2. CATEGORIZE:
Now grab a few different colored highlighters and categorize your list items. Some ideas: work, personal, school, home, shopping, organizing, cleaning, etc.
3. SORT:
Now sort/rank your items by importance. This is going to be different for everyone, but try going through each item on your list and asking yourself questions like:
- Does this absolutely need to be done by today?
- Does this align with my goals/values?
- Is this going to benefit my health?
4. TIME BLOCK:
**If you are a good time manager naturally, then you can probably skip this step** Finally, jot down an estimate of how long it will take you or how much time you want to dedicate to each task.
YAY! Now, you can rewrite the list based on rank or based on category or you can just leave it how it is, but make sure to start with the highest-ranked tasks!
**You can take this one step further by creating a schedule and mapping out when you will do each task throughout the day if that is helpful for you. I used to do this when I had an Erin Condren LifePlanner. I had an hourly layout so it was pretty easy to make my schedules.
Having to-do lists makes life easier. Plus, it feels (& looks) good to be that person who has their life together, so why not try it out?
I also recently started a bullet journal and I’m loving it so far. For a while, I was intimidated by bullet journals and I thought I wasn’t artistic enough, but I just went for it! And I’m so glad I did. I love the freedom of setting each page up exactly how you want it. If I’m stuck or feeling uninspired, I love to scroll through bullet journal spreads on Pinterest.
What do you think about my to-do list method? Is there something different that works for you? Let me know it the comments below!
xoxo DD
I love a good organized list! Your post is great!
Me too, thank you!