To-Do Lists: Help or Hindrance?

In a world of high expectations and intense multi-tasking, people are constantly seeking better ways to organize their day so they can get done the tasks they need to do in a somewhat orderly fashion.

To-do lists seem to be the organizational tool of choice. But in working with clients, it has become very clear that to-do lists can be double-edged swords. For some people they can be a life saver, while for others these lists actually end up causing more stress than they relieve.

The purpose of to-do lists is to organize our day and ensure we accomplish the tasks we need or want to get done. This list can be kept on a tablet, post-its, white board, or on a computer. Tasks can be prioritized if the list is long. When a task has been accomplished, we check it off and move on to the next one.

At the beginning of the day, we make list of all the tasks we want to do: and theoretically, by the end of the day, our list has disappeared and we are ready to start the next day with a new list. We feel good and leave work with a clear conscious, thus being able to fully enjoy the rest of our evening.

This is the best-case scenario. However, what is likely to happen is that we don't get all our tasks accomplished. We then find ourselves adding things to our list without removing any so our list gets longer and longer. And as it grows, the probability of us actually accomplishing all the tasks on it dramatically decreases.

We become stressed not only about the number of items still left, but also at the fact that we can't clear the list. We begin to criticize ourselves for not being more efficient or more organized. We begin to expend more energy worrying about the list itself than actually working towards accomplishing the tasks.

So, what happened? How did a simple organizational tool turn into a monster that is controlling our life? I think the answer is that we forget to-do lists are just that – simple organizational tools. They are not silver bullets.

Just because we make a list does not mean that the tasks will automatically be completed. Even if we use one of those very fancy tools offered on the Internet with all the bells and whistles, we still are the ones who have to do the work. It is up to us to need to find a way to
make our list work for our particular needs.

If you are one of the many who is struggling with your to-do list, the following questions will help you reframe and restructure how you work with to-do lists.

1. Where do you keep your to-do list? Is it in a place that is visible, so that you can constantly refer to it, or is it is a drawer, notebook, or computer program that rarely gets utilized?

2. How often do you check it? How often do you edit it and re-prioritize the items? It works best to review your list once a day.

3. How long is it? We can be led to believe that the longer our list, the more important or successful we are because we have all these things to do. Yet, in reality, the longer the list, the more likely it is that very little is being accomplished and we are not achieving what we want.

4. What kinds of tasks do you put on your list? Many times we clutter our list with non-essential items, thus detracting from the more important tasks.

5. Where does your list distract you? It is easy to get caught up in the making, thinking about and organizing of our lists, when we should be spending our time working on the items on the list.

6. Finally, ask yourself if a to-do list the right organizational took for you. After all is said and done, it is important that you feel comfortable working from a list. Not everyone does; and to work with a tool that doesn't fit your personality and work style will only create stress for you. There are certainly other methods of organizing your work. Ask your friends and colleagues what they do and you may find a much more effective approach for you.

Remember: to-do lists are supposed to simplify, not complicate your life!

Procrastination is the bad habit of putting off until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday. Napoleon Hill