Are you constantly forgetting things or putting off tasks? Are you frustrated with a cluttered desk and an overflowing inbox? Are your to-do lists not working for you? If so, you’re not alone. Many people have the same trouble with their to-do lists – they either don’t use them effectively, or they create one that isn’t practical for their workflow. If this sounds like you, don’t worry! Keeping track of what needs to get done and when can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be that way. A great to-do list will help keep your thoughts organized and keep stress to a minimum by keeping all your tasks in one place. Here are 9 reasons your to-do lists aren’t working for you and tips on how you can improve yours.
You don’t use your to-do list regularly.
If you don’t use your to-do list regularly, it’s unlikely that it will ever become a helpful tool for you. It’s important to set up your to-do list and use it on a regular basis so that it becomes a habit. Some tasks are better suited to be on a to-do list as opposed to in your calendar, such as making a doctor’s appointment, making a call, booking a flight, or taking out the trash. If you feel like you aren’t using your to-do list enough, try adding a few new tasks to it each day. This will help make it part of your daily routine.
Your to-do list is disorganized.
It’s important to keep your to-do list organized – not only so you know where everything is, but so you can keep track of your progress. If you keep your to-do list in a disorganized way, you’re likely to feel overwhelmed or frustrated when you look at it. Creating categories for your tasks is one way to keep your to-do list organized. You can also create sub-categories, color code, use bullet points or stars (*), or put an asterisk (*) next to tasks that need to be completed by a certain date. You can also try writing your to-do list on a whiteboard, corkboard, chalkboard, or using an app to keep it organized. Whichever method you choose, make sure it works for you and that you’re able to keep up with it.
You have too many items on your to-do list.
This can be tricky to identify because it’s not always black and white. How do you know what is too many items? This will vary from person to person, but in general, you want to make sure your to-do list doesn’t have more than 10 items on it. Anything beyond that will likely cause you to feel overwhelmed, stressed, and frustrated with your list. If you find yourself consistently having more than 10 items on your to-do list, you might need to make some changes or you may be trying to do too much at once. Try to keep your to-do list to 10 items or less.
Your tasks are overly complicated or aren’t clearly defined.
While it’s important to be detailed, it’s also important to keep your tasks simple and easy to understand. If you have tasks that are overly complicated but aren’t necessary, they aren’t helping you at all. If you find yourself adding tasks to your to-do list that aren’t clearly defined, they are just adding clutter to your list. If you have tasks on your to-do list that aren’t helping you at all, you can either delete them or try rewriting them so that they are more helpful.
There’s no due date or time associated with each task.
This is an easy mistake to make, especially if you’re using a paper to-do list. If you’re not using an app or a digital to-do list, this is something that is pretty easy to fix. Simply add a due date or time to each item on your list and you’ll have everything you need in one place. This will help keep you organized and on track with your tasks.
You constantly have unrelated tasks on your to-do list.
This can be a sign that you’re trying to do too much at once, so you may want to scale back. Try to keep your to-do list focused on the things that you need to accomplish and nothing else. If you find that you constantly have unrelated tasks on your list, try to focus on one thing at a time. This will help you get more done and feel less overwhelmed.
Your to-do list is TOO long!
If your to-do list is too long, you might have a problem. You don’t want your to-do list to have more than 10 items on it. Anything beyond that will likely cause you to feel overwhelmed, stressed, and frustrated with your list. If you find yourself consistently having more than 10 items on your to-do list, you might need to make some changes or you may be trying to do too much at once. Try to keep your to-do list to 10 items or less.
You have tasks that require collaboration but they’re not listed together.
Some tasks are best suited to be on a to-do list because they are things that need to get done, but aren’t necessarily time sensitive. If you have tasks that will take a long time to complete but will help move the business forward, you may want to add them to your to-do list. If you have tasks that require collaboration but aren’t listed together, it may be difficult for people to find them. Try to keep all of your tasks in one place. If you have team members, you can have them add their tasks to your to-do list so that everything is in one place.
It doesn’t make you feel productive or happy at the end of the day.
If your to-do list isn’t working for you, try to figure out what the issue is and make adjustments. If it’s not working for you, you won’t feel happy with it or like it’s helping you at all. If this describes you, try to figure out where the issues are and make adjustments. It may help to try a different to-do list method or use a different app. Now that you’ve read through the 9 reasons your to-do lists aren’t working for you, you’re ready to make some changes.