The Infamous To-Do List

By: Julie Smith

Some of us love making lists, while others dread it. No matter which category you fall under, I think lists are absolutely essential to having success.  Lists keep you organized, help you to not be forgetful, make you feel accomplished and have so many more benefits. There are some steps to follow when making lists so that they do not become overwhelming or ineffective.  

The key to making sure that a list does not become overwhelming is to include both simple and daunting tasks. Put things on your list that are easy to accomplish so that you can cross them off right away. It is so rewarding to complete smaller tasks and then move towards the ones that will take more time.  Once you have completed your smaller tasks, you will be motivated to work even harder on the bigger ones at hand.

Ineffective lists often contain unrealistic goals. When making a list, be sure to make numeric goals. Such as, “write 5 thank-you notes.” Avoid things like, “write thank-you notes.” That is so vague and hard to know how many you actually have to write to be able to cross it off your list. Also, try not to make a “to-do” list that resembles a goals list. They are two completely different things, but both important for different reasons.  Make an effective list of “to-do’s” to accomplish things on your goals list. Try making a list that says, “apply for 8 positions, ” with the goal being to get an interview.

If you are a list guru, then you are probably familiar with these techniques and utilize them on a daily basis. If you are new to list making, then I suggest you start with the basics and move from there. I, myself was not big into lists until this year, but I have found them to be extremely helpful.