To-do list, a list of things you have to do. Some people have monthly to-do lists, weekly to-do lists, daily to-do lists, etc., depending upon what they plan to do. As we mentioned in our previous blog post, we recommend splitting up the work into smaller manageable sections, and you can achieve that by making daily to-do lists.
A daily to-do list could be more than just a list of tasks, it can be a schedule, it can be an overview of your day. Planning could sometimes be equally important as working, because when you do things after you plan, you are not doing them on the go, but you’re doing them with an aim, which is to complete all tasks and strike them off your list. Having such an aim is important for urging yourself to get things done.
First of all, we recommend you write down all the possible tasks you could do in a day, or just all the things you would like to do in a day. Not in any ordered fashion though, this is just a main list you’ll refer to later. Consider the amount of time you would need to complete them all. Can I do this in a day, with regular breaks making sure I won’t be burnt out at the end of the day? Ask yourself.
Even if you wanted to do them all, you have to accept it if you can’t, in case your day looks completely jam-packed, or you don’t have time for breaks. Another thing to consider is adding buffer time. You cannot do things exactly in the amount of time you planned to, sometimes. Therefore, it’s essential you have buffer time. Adding it helps you stick to your plan for the day better.
An essential thing to consider is breaks. You cannot work for 4 hours straight and take a 2-hour break right after. You have to break your work into little chunks. You have to look at your plan for the day, consider for a moment, can I work for this much time without a break? (The more you know yourself, the more accurate your answer will be). When you see a possible low-energy point, sneak in a little break there. However, make sure you don’t go overboard when you’re adding them.
Another thing a lot of us do is overstuff our day. It’s like filling a suitcase up with clothes and struggling to close it. It could be very ineffective and unproductive, and you might feel stressed when you see the to-do list. So, we do not recommend overstuffing your day at all.
We’d like to add a little something here. Your schedule can contain specific time-limits, but it may not, too. As long as you have a general overview of what tasks you’ll do in which interval of the day, like morning, afternoon, etc., it’ll be fine.
Next up, we have a ratio. Work:life ratio. It changes everyday, but make sure it doesn’t lean more towards the work part. You need rest too. This doesn’t mean you should take rest when you feel a 1% drop in energy. You should rest when you feel you can no longer continue, and if you do, it will be completely useless and unproductive.
After considering all the above advice, you need to make a more organised list taking out stuff from the main one you made, which consisted of everything you wanted to do. For this, we have task priorities – must, should and could. Divide all your tasks into these three categories. Things you have to do that day, no matter what, are must-tasks. Things you have to do someday, but you might as well start that day, are should-tasks. Things you may or may not do, but are better if you do, are could-tasks.
In a day, you have to complete all the must-tasks. They are priority #1. Then, we have should-tasks. You could make time in your day and fit these in (after considering all the above-mentioned advice, such as breaks and energy levels). Finally, only if you have the time and energy to do them, slip in the could-tasks. Remember, your priorities must always be the “must” and “should” tasks.
You can then reward yourself for completing tasks as you go, so as to keep yourself driven to achieve all you planned to do that particular day.
Final message:
It is said that,
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
But planning is only a part of the work, and it’s useless if you don’t actually do anything with it. So, plan the best you can and work according to it as well.
If you haven’t made any to-do lists for today, do so after reading this blogpost and work on it! We wish you the best of luck for that.
Be Unstoppable 💪
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JHS and AY Write 