Students or working professionals are often faced with an intimidating pile of work. To-do lists are a way of visualizing and organizing items that need to be done. These lists, easily underestimated for their simplicity, are effective when structured in the following fashion.
Break items down.
Write down each individual task you need to complete. For instance, you need to catch up in your General Chemistry class. Instead of simply writing "Catch up in Chemistry," write down as short note of every specific task needed to catch up in Chemistry. Detail each item as follows: "Complete Assignment 1, Complete Assignment 2, Take Quiz 2," etc.
Number your items.
Numbering the items to complete helps you realize that you are not daunted with with an impossible task of completing all of your work. You can also gain confidence as you see quantitative progress with how many items you have managed to complete off of your list.
List all items that need to be completed.
List everything that you need to get done, even if you think that you will not have enough time to complete all of them. Although this task may seem to make the task list intimidating to its maker, this step is very important. By writing down all of the items to complete, you know that you do not have at least two commitments (the items on your list and the items you have not written down). Also, by putting those extra items on your list, you are more willing to prioritize getting those items done above other leisurely activities.
Set dates that each item needs to be completed.
Each item on your list, write the date that you need to complete the task by. Do not worry about writing the list in chronological order just yet.
Re-list.
Re-list your items in chronological order and/or order of importance.
Arrange in calendar.
People using this list system may arrange their calendars differently. Either choose blocks of time to work on different components of your list, or schedule a time to complete each item.
Check off items as you go.
Place a thick check mark on each item as you complete it. By keeping track of your progress, you will feel more accomplished when finishing each item off of your list.
This to-do list technique takes practice. This technique may be altered to fit an individual's needs. Even if you are at times unable to complete all the items off of your list, be fulfilled in the part of the list that you were able to compete!
