The right lists for you are the ones that help.
The right lists for you are the ones that actually help.
They are not the ones that make you feel overwhelmed or guilty or inadequate. But all too often, in our efforts to be organized, we create to-do lists that are so detailed and so all-inclusive that they are unmanageable.
Stepping back for a moment, let’s look at the daily challenges of living in today’s world.
Finding time to get everything done and still make time and space in your life for what’s most important to you is something that all humans grapple with, isn’t it?
What helps?
Well, in the past I’ve written about templates as one effective method for addressing seasonal or repetitive activities and tasks.
Today I’d like to take a look at something similar but probably more widely used. That’s using lists to keep track of your tasks and what you’ve accomplished.
Even more specifically, I’m going to focus on using category lists wisely.
The right lists for you…
To stay comfortably within the framework of the priorities that you establish for yourself, it helps to use different kinds of lists. Some people attempt to put all their tasks on one list. This inevitably fails because the list is just too long, too complicated, and can often be quite overwhelming.
Lists have their own hierarchy. So you’ll keep your boundaries straight and stay on track with your priorities by using the right type of list.
There are lots of ways to look at this.
One possibility would be to create your lists based on specific kinds of activities. For example, you could have one list of personal tasks, another list for work tasks, and a third list for community or social activities.
Separating activities into categories and putting each category on a separate list enables you to work with the most relevant list at the appropriate time.
For example…
- Look at your personal list once a week, since many of the tasks will be repetitive. Grocery shopping, car-pooling, children’s activities, sports practices and games, cleaning and yard work are examples.
- On the other hand, I’d suggest that you review your work activity list each night. This helps you get ready for whatever has to be done the next day. Some of these work tasks also may be repetitive. But many of them involve non-repetitive activity, like new projects or clients, problems that need solving, and telephone calls to be made.
- Review your list of community and social activities weekly. Many of the activities on this kind of list are a combination of repetitive tasks and one-time events. By reviewing this list weekly, you can take note of any scheduled committee meetings, dinners with friends, or planned time with family members.
Because you are reviewing your three lists at different times, and using them in different ways, you can be accomplishing a great deal. And you’ll be keeping to your priorities without being overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks you need to accomplish.
Ready to give it a try? How will you get started today?
More help with the right lists for you…
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