I love todo lists. During very busy or stressful times, I’m lost without one. I would literately forget very important things that need to get done, if I didn’t have it down in a todo list. It’s supposed to be weapon to help that messy brain stay on track, and do the important things. It should not be there to stress you out and make you feel bad.
I have a feeling most people put way too much down in a todo list. I aim to put at most 3 important things that need to get done that day. Not 5, 10, or 20. That’s not a todo list, that’s a wish list.
Here is how I stay organize. I use an nifty app calledĀ wunderlist.
Daily
First I have a daily list. This contains the 1-3 most important things I need to get done in a day.
Weekly
I don’t stress myself out with 50 things in a never ending list. I drop things I need to get done, at one point in the week, into this bucket. I move them from weekly to daily, as I need.
Tasks
I’m a lucky son of a bitch, and get the help of a part-time assistant. Those are tasks I need to get done, but they will handle. š
Future
I think this one is the most important for not being stressed out. There are things I think of constantly, that I want to do. They’re not super high priority, or they’re a pain in the ass to accomplish.
For example: (clean out the garage, switch bank accounts, fill out will)
This is my bucket where I think of something that needs to get done, but don’t want to stress about it. If I keep thinking about one task in there, it’s a clear sign it really needs to get done. That’s when I move it from futureĀ –> weekly –> daily. I scan it often but don’t worry if I don’t get them done this week. Sometimes, I’ll look in there, and thing crap I need to do that! I find it can be a great way to remember something later.
Maybe my system won’t work for you. Still, I think it’s best everyone finds an app/system that works for them.