To-do lists are part of a lot of our lives.  But so often they are mismanaged and feel overwhelming.  Today we talk about getting back some control over the never ending to-do list.  

Transcript:

Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in 2-ish minutes a day,  through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life. 

I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and have you ever fallen into the trap where you look at your long to-do list and you realize it’s a lot of ideas and wants and not specifically have to-dos?  That’s when we know we need a revision.  Maybe you haven’t thought of it and when you look at your list today, you might be able to take some of the tips I am going to share and implement them today to free yourself of the guilt of never, ever, for even one day having a completed to-do list. 

First, I invite you to grab two pieces of paper if you hand write your to-do list and if not, get a blank WORD document and create two columns.  Tile them the short term mental parking lot and the long term mental parking lot.  Now you can decide what is short term and what is long term.  I usually say 2-4 weeks is short term and long term is more than 4 weeks.  Where, you are not actually going to complete that task, idea, thought, within the next month or so - but you don’t want to forget it. 

Once you have your columns, review your to-do list and start shifting your tasks.  This is so beneficial because it helps you identify what matters most, what is a priority and what needs your attention sooner.   Hopefully this also means you are creating space in your to-do list, so it doesn’t feel so overwhelming.  

I like to start every task with a verb.  Write the podcast episode. Review the draft.  Read the article.  Write and send the cards. 

Writer Jenée Desmond-Harris tweeted recently on how to divide your to-do list: 

She said "I started dividing my to-do list into 1) things I have to do, 2) things I want to do, and 3) things other people want me to do. Life changing! I often don’t get to #3 and I finally realized... this is what it means to have boundaries."

Source: Twitter

https://twitter.com/jdesmondharris/status/1408868731707555840

There are a million ways to tackle a to-do list, and when you find what works for you, it really can be magic.  Our to-do lists shouldn’t be a constant stressor.   

I like to choose 3 big things to complete in a day.  Everything else is gravy.  Some days, I just have one thing. That’s ok.  

Oftentimes we think we are machines, but in reality, when we have boundaries and some Intentional Margins we have a higher level of positivity which increases our productivity, lowers our stress and allows us to be more creative and better at problem solving.   

It can start with a well-managed to-do list that really is just the things we need to do.  I’m obsessed with to-do lists and how to organize them, so I would love to hear from you.  How do you organize your to-do list? Email me at [email protected] or DM me over on social @everydayhappinesswithkatie.   

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