To-Do List Formula: A Stress-Free Guide To Creating To-Do Lists That Work!

by Damon Zahariades

A to-do list without deadlines is a wish list.

Projects masquerade as tasks when they haven’t been broken down to their constituent parts.

The point is, defining tasks too broadly is detrimental to their completion. Their vagueness ensures they linger. If you’re having trouble completing to-do items, check whether they can be broken down to smaller tasks.

All other variables being equal, the more certain we are of the outcome, the greater the likelihood we’ll act.

Are you trying to achieve a particular goal with the new blog post?

you must attach a specific goal to each task on your to-do list.

Neuroscientists have discovered that, over time, this state can damage the brain, hampering our decision-making ability.

Is persistent negativity eroding your focus and causing you to be more easily distracted?

Remember, your to-do list is there to help you organize tasks according to their importance and priority, and identify where to best spend your limited time.

Deadlines are important because they prompt us to take action.

when

the dates on which you should begin working on the tasks.

deep work dates

Verbs like explore, plan, and touch base lack specificity. As a result, they’re less effective than verbs like research, draft, and call.

If it gains a foothold in your mind, it will siphon your enthusiasm, extinguish your motivation, and block your creativity.

They make you accountable. When you know what you’re trying to achieve, you become aware that every decision you make either moves you closer toward your goals or further away from them.

When you know the reason a particular task needs to be done, and the reason is consistent with something you want to accomplish, you’ll develop laser-sharp focus on the task. You’ll treat it as a priority.

Your to-do list is an inventory of what you hope to accomplish during the course of a given day. Your calendar determines whether it’s possible.