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

by Damon Zahariades

The main purpose of your to-do list is to help you organize your tasks and projects, and highlight the important stuff. It allows you to get everything out of your head, where things are likely to fall through the cracks. By writing them down, you’ll collect them in one place and gain a bird’s-eye view of your biggest priorities.

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.

The big items should take between one and two hours to complete. The small items should take 30 minutes or less.

We take action to effect specific 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.

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.

Third, give yourself less time than you think you need. I mentioned Parkinson’s Law in the section Why You’re Not Finishing Your List Of To-Do Items. That law states “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” 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.

plummet. The solution is simple. Batch these tiny tasks together. Set aside 30 to 45 minutes to work on them.

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.