Get the oil on the car changed; plan Saturday’s dinner party; write thank you note to Jenna – these are the items on my to-do list for today. And I mean an actual written list, not just some ideas floating around in my head. Why, you may ask, would I need to write these down? After all, it’s only three things. Writing things down prevents me from forgetting things, helps me know what to focus on, and frees me from the stress of having to remember. Writing it isn’t the same as having it in my head – a written list is like a best friend who gently reminds me what and when I should be working on hings to keep me out of trouble. A written list puts me in control of my day, and it can do the same for you.
I have several lists that help me take advantage of the power of writing things down, and I’m sharing them with you here. If you’d like a complete collection of all the forms and lists that help me and my clients stay organized, check out my APPLES Resource Guide. Fear not, Jenna – your thank-you note is in the mail!
Before I start describing my lists, I want to comment on what form your lists can take. I prefer written lists – they work well with my paper planner and I like the hand-to-brain connection of writing things down. You may prefer electronic lists – something you can save on your computer or carry around on your smart phone. Here are two resources that can get you started on making electronic lists: IQtell and Lifehacker. I’d love to hear what electronic lists you like to use.
Okay, on to my list of lists:
Master To-Do List This is where I write down things I have to do that I’m not quite sure when I’ll do. For example, I want to follow my own advice and update my emergency plans (e.g., what to do if a tornado wipes out my home). I could just choose a date to do it and jot it down on the corresponding page in my planner. However, my next couple of months are very full so I’m not quite sure when I’ll do it. Rather than trusting that I’ll remember to do it at some point, I’ve added it to my master to-do list. I keep this list in my planner, review it once a week (the reminder to do so is on my Weekly To-Do List) and schedule anything I’m ready to commit to doing. You can read more about a master do-do list in my previous blog posting.
Weekly To-Do List My weekly to-do list is typed onto a notecard that moves from Sunday to Sunday (attached via paper clip) in my paper planner. It reminds me to do things like water the houseplants, plan next week’s meals (check out my previous blog posting on meal planning), and prepare for next week’s clients. My houseplants, hungry family and clients appreciate my being on top of these things.
Daily To-Do List I have two kinds of daily to-do lists; one is similar to what most people use – I pick three to five things I want to get done on any given day and write those in my planner. But I also have a daily list that’s typed on a notecard and moves from day to day in my planner. It lists recurring tasks I want to attend to each day, like water my outdoor flowers, thaw the next day’s dinner (thanks to planning meals each week, this is easy), and check some of my social media sites. Even though I remember to do most of these things without looking at the list, having them written down keeps things from falling through the cracks.
Here’s a link to my newsletter where you can read more about the lists that keep me organized. I’d love to hear what lists you use to help you stay on top of things
Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,
Sue, thank you for the great reminder … actually, your blog post was like a friend gently reminding me to get back on track with the daily list which I had abandoned about a month ago. Looking around my desk and countertops, it is evident that my time has not been well spent in the absence of that daily list! In addition to my own steno pad for list making, I keep three additional steno pads on a shelf above my desk, color coded by family member. That way, I have a running list of things to discuss, questions to ask, etc. when that child calls or when my husband and I sit down with the calendar to plan ahead. It has worked for our family, keeps us all communicating well.
You’re very welcome, Kathy. Thanks for sharing your great tip about the color-coded steno pads. Communication is such an important part of any relationship and you offered a great example of how to make it work. Best wishes for continued success!
I started using Wunderlist a month or two ago, but I am liking the sound of Toodledo, as it seems to have a lot of features that are lacking in Wunderlist (e.g., recurring tasks, how long a task will take, priority). Thanks for sharing all this great information!
I’d love to hear if you make the switch to Toodledo, Janet.
It took me a fair chunk of time to enter everything from my various lists into Wunderlist, and there’s no way to export them, so I won’t be making the switch until I have time to copy everything over, but it’s a distinct possibility.
I’ve been using Wunderlist and like it a lot and like it’s simplicity (although they have a new version out with more features). I didn’t know about Toodledo and just looked at their website–wow, it has a lot of features! Maybe I’ll check it out more.
Thanks for sharing your experience with Wunderlist, Brian. Let us know what you think of Toodledo if you try it, Brian.