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

by Damon Zahariades

41% of to-do items are never completed. 50% of completed to-do items are done within a day. 18% of completed to-do items are done within an hour. 10% of completed to-do items are done within a minute.

The above describes the Productivity Paradox. We create to-do lists to help us organize tasks, manage our time, and get things done. But because we rely on ill-conceived task management systems, we inadvertently create lists that sabotage our efforts.

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.

Deadlines are the enemy of procrastination. They motivate us to take action and finish tasks.

If you don’t know how long something will take to finish, how important it is, and how it contributes to your goals, how can you know whether you should work on it?

First, use a “current task” list to decide how to allocate your time and attention each day. This list will carry the to-do items that must be completed before the day ends. Second, use a “future task” list to keep track of all the items that will need your attention at some point. You won’t use this list during the course of your workday. Instead, you’ll refer to it at the end of the day to create the following day’s to-do list.

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.

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

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 verb triggers something in the brain, prompting it to focus on completing the item.

Weekly reviews are critical.

The purpose of any productivity system, including your to-do list system, is to help you get the right things done on time. The goal is to increase your efficiency and ultimately make your life easier to manage. When you focus on methodologies to the point that they become the priority, you risk forfeiting these goals.

any productivity system, whether it’s focused on task management or workflow efficiency, is a series of learned behaviors. Keeping it running smoothly requires developing new habits and applying them with consistency. It takes commitment and resilience.

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. Working with one tool, but not the other, is a recipe for failure. Use them both to manage your time effectively and set reasonable, realistic daily productivity goals.

the purpose of your task lists - from your master task list to your daily to-do lists - isn’t to make sure you get everything done. Rather, their purpose is to make sure you’re focusing your limited time and attention on your most important work. Remember, being productive isn’t about keeping yourself busy. It’s about getting the right things done based on your short and long-term goals.