Like I said in my post about prioritizing as a freelancer, I’ve been going back to basics lately in how I organize my day. A simple to do list has proven the most effective for actually getting stuff done—not dreaming or planning or goal setting, but actually doing the work. Of course, I’ve learned the hard way (if only you could see the amount of notebooks I’ve filled with incomplete to dos, sorry paper) that not all lists are effective. Assuming you create your list at the beginning of each day and prioritize that list based on deadlines and urgency, this 3-step process will guarantee a much more effective to-do than both a post-it and your most intricate planner.
Get as detailed as you need
I’m detailed with my to-do list because I’m one of those people that needs to get everything out of my head and onto the paper in order to feel more organized. If I keep even something as small as “Instagram at 10am” in my head, I’ll either get really overwhelmed by all my little mental to-dos, or I’ll straight up forget it. If you’re this way, detail is the way to go. But when you find yourself obsessing over tiny details and spending more time creating a 3-page list than getting work done, it’s time to cut yourself off. (Some of you serial list-makers will relate.)
Schedule breaks if possible
Scheduling breaks works really well if you’re blocking your day, but it can also be incorporated into a to-do list. Although scheduling out breaks can help with structure, it isn’t always possible to stop at 12 for lunch. Sometimes before or after works better. When I can’t schedule break times, I schedule where in the list I’ll stop. I’ll get through the first third of the list, for example, before I take a break. All in all, breaks can be a good incentive to get through your list, as long as you don’t go too far—if you really have a difficult project going on, don’t be afraid to stop in the middle and recharge.
Be prepared for breaks in the plan
This point is more about mindset. For awhile I’d get frustrated because I felt like I couldn’t get anything done on schedule. But now that I’m more prepared for interruptions—I expect them so I’m not thrown off course when I get that email or whatever—I know that I can be successful regardless. So, go into your to-do list knowing that you’ll try your best to stick to it, but that it isn’t always possible to stay on course. Especially if you really DO need a break!
Hope this helps you in writing your next to-do!
Serial list-makers, ha!
I can relate to a lot of this and have found scheduling a certain amount of tasks to complete before lunch works best for me, especially when they are menial tasks that I keep putting off. Food is a good motivator, obviously. 🙂
“A simple to do list has proven the most effective for actually getting stuff done—not dreaming or planning or goal setting, but actually doing the work.”
That about sums it up for me! 🙂
This was a great post Angela!
xoxo
Thank you for useful tips! As for me, I usually use https://casual.pm/ to create an inspiring to-do list. Here I can create a workflow – that’s like a visual map with tasks with dependencies and see my progress. It’s beautiful, unusual and interesting tool to try! Hope you will like it!