Setting up a to-do list that you can complete can be quite tricky but with a few simple tips, your daily to-do list can be completed. Knowing how to prioritize your to-do list is key to keeping up with your list. In this post, you’ll learn 4 simple tips I use every day to help me complete my to-do list.
Not only will you be more productive after learning these tips but you can also download the to do list printable that I created for you to help you get more done during the day.
As a busy mom of 2 active girls and a wife of a husband that travels a lot, it is important that I stay organized. My plate is filled with carpooling, school activities, work, and more. Unfortunately, my to-do list never ends.
If your daily life is as busy as mine then you know how important it is to stay as organized as possible and to make sure that you have systems in place to get you to where you need to be.
I wasn’t always this organized. I would always be running 10 minutes behind and forget about appointments. It always felt like I was being spread too thin and something had to give.
However, I didn’t have anything that I could give up.
I felt like I was drowning in a pool of my own tasks.
There was a constant feeling like that so I made a change. I implemented a few rules in my life to help me manage my time better and I would love to share them with you.
How to be organized in life
This is really tricky but I would have to say it’s really important to set up a weekly to-do list to help you plan out your week and then each day spend a little bit of time creating a detailed plan for the day will really help you stay organized.
Having a daily to-do list
Is going to really help you prioritize your time. You’ll have a set of tasks that you know that you need/want to complete allowing you to stay focused on the important stuff. Instead of bouncing from one thing to the next hoping that you can get through the day.
My 4 simple tips to help you complete your to-do list
The 4 tips that I use every day to complete my to-do list are:
- Only add 8 tasks max to the to-do list
- Make tasks very specific
- Prioritize the list by importance
- Zero out the list at the end of the day
I put together a free printable checklist and daily to-do list pdf to help you organize your next to do list.
8 tasks max
Setting up your to-do list to have only 8 items on them really helps you focus on what’s most important. There are a few other things that I add to this too.
I do not add more items to my list throughout the day. The only time I will do that is when I have already completed my list.
Make your tasks as specific as possible
One of the biggest problems with to do lists is we set ourselves up to fail. We add tasks like “clean out the garage” on our list plus 12 other tasks that are just as big and we wonder why we can never get through our lists.
Cleaning out the garage isn’t a task, it’s a project. That’s for another blog post and another time.
So instead of adding things like clean out the garage to your to-do list, you might want to add tasks like:
- Break down Amazon boxes
- Organize the sports gear
- Clear out garbage
These are tasks that are specific and won’t take 12-36 hours to complete.
Prioritize your list
I like to prioritize my list by importance. And how I determine that is the first items on my list are things that I need to complete for tomorrow to happen. If we are completely out of food and my kids will be eating ice cubes for breakfast tomorrow, I know that the grocery shopping will be 1st on my list. Then things like ironing the tablecloth can be lower on my list.
Zero out your list each night
Every night I zero out my to-do list. Anything that I didn’t complete that day goes on the top of my list for the next day.
I like to set up my daily to-do list the night before so I can hit the ground running first thing in the morning.
Bonus tip!
Make it fun. I love having a nice pen to write with and a fun printable to use. You can download the free to-do list printable below. I’ve linked my favorite pen below for you to check out.
The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. You can read my full disclosure here.
I love it so much that I buy refills for it so I never have to say goodbye!
In the video below I share these same tips with you.
Since this is a lot of information to take in at one time I did create a free printable checklist and to do list pdf for you to print off and use.
Have you tried any of these tips with your to-do list? Will you be using any of the tips? I would love to know in the comments below.
Thank you so much for stopping by. Below are a few other posts that I thought you might enjoy. Have an amazing day.
Jenn
Mandy says
July 21, 2017 at 4:55 pmI do the same thing for my to do list. I keep it simple. And if a project is added I break it down to small little jobs daily until it is done. And if by any chance I don’t finish it by the end if the day I move it to the next day or a day where there is more time to get it done. Mandy
Jennifer Slavich says
July 21, 2017 at 9:28 pmLove it! Great job!!