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

by Damon Zahariades

many people’s lists fail to specify the amount of time individual tasks will take to complete.

A large number of to-do items may get crossed off the list, but there’s no indication they’re the right items - the important stuff. This gives the individual a false sense of accomplishment.

many to-do lists are too long.

The main purpose of your to-do list is to help you organize your tasks and projects, and highlight the important stuff.

a solid to-do list will focus your attention on the right work and prevent you from getting sidelined by less-critical items.

Your task list isn’t a tool for getting everything done. Rather, it’s a tool that will ensure you get the right things done.

A to-do list without deadlines is a wish list. Nothing more. Without deadlines, we lean toward inaction.

Many people do a brain dump of every task they need or want to get done. They record everything on a single list. The problem is, they neglect to categorize these tasks and put them on separate lists according to context, priority, and urgency.

“Paradox of Choice.” The more options we have, the less capable we are to decide between them and the more anxiety we experience as a result.

decision fatigue. It’s a state in which you’re less able to make good decisions because you’re mentally exhausted from making decisions throughout the day.

One of the greatest failings in most to-do lists is a lack of context for individual tasks.

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

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

you must attach a specific goal to each task on your to-do list. Know the reason each item needs to be completed.

It’s worth pointing out that doing a brain dump is an important step toward creating an effective to-do list. But it’s a first step. After you’ve written down all of the tasks you can think of, you need to organize them according to their importance, priority, context, and other elements.

The “1-3-5 rule” is an extrapolation of the “3+2 strategy” described in the previous section. Here, you choose one big task, three medium-sized tasks, and five small tasks to complete during the day.

Step 1: Isolate Current Tasks From Future Tasks

Step 2: Define Tasks By Desired Outcomes

The simplest way to get through your daily to-do list is to assign a “why” to each item found on it. Know the reason the item is on your list. Determine why you need to get it done. Write the reason down next to the task.

Step 3: Break Projects Down To Individual Tasks

Make sure your to-do lists are limited to actionable tasks, not projects. If an item requires more than one action, it is a project that can - and should - be broken down. By breaking them down, you’ll enjoy better focus and get important work done more quickly.

Step 4: Assign A Deadline To Each Task

Attaching a deadline to every item on your master to-do list makes it easier to know which tasks to select for your daily to-do list.

We tend to allow ourselves too much time to get things done. You’ll find that narrowing the window will improve your focus and result in greater efficiency and productivity.

Step 5: Limit The Number Of Current Tasks To Seven

My “limit-to-seven” suggestion refers solely to tasks that require at least 15 minutes to complete.

categorize each task on your master to-do list using the following three contexts: Project Type Location

I recommend creating a separate list for each project, each type of task, and each location. For example, the following projects would warrant their own lists: Write a book Remodel my kitchen Buy a car The following types of tasks would also warrant their own lists: Analytical work Creative work Mindless work Likewise, the following locations would warrant their own lists: At the office At home On the road

You may find it useful to keep a separate list for high-priority, high-value to-do items. Some people call this a HIT list, or high-impact task list.

Step 7: Prune Your List Of Unnecessary Tasks

What types of tasks are candidates for removal? Look for these four items: Wishes Unclear tasks Trivial tasks Resolutions

Remove all resolutions from your master to-do list. They don’t belong there. Instead, put them on a separate “lifestyle goals” list and treat them as projects.

Step 8: Estimate The Amount Of Time Each Task Will Take To Complete

Parkinson’s Law: “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”

Step 9: Lead Each Task With An Active Verb

When you phrase a task with a verb, the task comes alive. It goes from being a mere line item on your to-do list to being an actionable assignment.

the verbs (start, buy, finish, check, and call) tell us exactly what to do.

The verb “contact” is helpful, but imprecise.

Verbs like explore, plan, and touch base lack specificity. As a result, they’re less effective than verbs like research, draft, and call. These latter choices have more impact because they imply specific actions.

Step 10: Note Which Tasks Require Input From Others

write a short note next to each to-do item for which you’re waiting for someone’s input. Detail the type of input you need, its format (email, phone call, report, spreadsheet, etc.), and the date you expect it to be delivered.

Tiny tasks don’t belong on your daily to-do list.

Instead, place them on a separate batch list. When you have extra time, choose a few to work on. Cross the items off your list as you complete them.

Batch these tiny tasks together. Set aside 30 to 45 minutes to work on them. This will allow you to focus on the items, one by one, without distracting you from your important work. You’ll have set aside a separate work session to address them.

suppose it’s mid-afternoon and your energy levels are low. You’d do well to focus on mindless work (e.g. data entry, decluttering your desk, etc.) rather than analytical or creative work (activity-based context).

Task-level context informs your decisions regarding what you should do next.

Weekly reviews are critical.

How do you conduct a weekly review? Here are the basic steps: Gather all of your to-do lists. This includes your master list and context-based lists. Do a brain dump of all the tasks and projects floating around your head. Add them to your master list. Break down new projects into individual tasks. Separate new tasks according to context (project, type, and location). Create new context-based lists, if necessary. Clear out your email inbox. Send responses if they’re necessary. If an email requires you to take action, but isn’t urgent, make a note of it on your master to-do list and archive the message. Also, archive emails that don’t warrant a response or action, but may be needed later. Delete the rest. Review your master list and context-based lists. Purge tasks that are no longer necessary or important. Note the tasks that are both important and urgent. Mark them as candidates for your daily to-do list. Note the tasks for which you’re waiting on input from others. Write down the person’s name and the date you expect to receive his or her input. The date will tell you when to follow up if you don’t receive it. Review your current deadlines for high-value tasks. Make adjustments if necessary. Assign deadlines to new tasks you’ve added to your master list and context-based lists. Review your calendar for the coming week. Create your daily to-do list based on your availability.

Take a look at the following example. Vague goal: retire early. Specific goal: retire by your 60th birthday with $2 million in liquid investments and a $5,000 monthly income.

write down your goals. You’ll be less likely to abandon them.