Tips for smashing the TO DO LIST & a free printable!
Hello friends! Today I want to share my top tips for completing the to do list and share a cute printable with you! My free printable is perfect for when you want your to do list to look cute, or maybe you want to print it for your child. Either way, I hope you love it!
I want to share my top tips for nailing the to do list because I’m a toddler mum and quite frankly, it’s hard to get everything done, so I hope my post helps! In fact, even writing it has been a good reminder to implement some of my own tips! Anyway! Let’s chat!
- Decide on a digital or physical to do list
Some people love a digital to do list and others prefer to write it on paper. Either is great, but it’s important to figure out which is best for you and stick to it. Personally I like a physical list and I have a tendency to write them in the notes app and forget about them.
- Have a urgent and non-urgent list
Personally I like to have two lists on the go; a daily urgent list and a weekly / monthly non-urgent list. This allows me to focus on my daily list without getting overwhelmed by the longer non-urgent list.
- Focus on the most time sensitive tasks first
This is obvious, but it’s important to focus on the most time sensitive tasks first so you aren’t left stressed and rushing when you are running out of time.
- Be realistic
be realistic with what you can achieve in a day. For instance, if you have a baby or toddler, you might only be able to do 1 to 5 tasks a day. Where as if you have the full day to work you might be able to do 20 tasks. Set yourself an achievable list.
- ‘Bundle’ similar jobs and tackle them in one go!
This is also known as a batch working. If you have some similar jobs, bundle them up and do them in one go. This could be taking photos for social media, cleaning, cooking, decorating, filling out forms, filming for YouTube, doing emails… you name it!! It means you focus on similar jobs and don’t loose focus. You often get more done in a shorter space or time and avoid wasting time getting things out and putting them away.
- tackle the tougher jobs first
Most of us have our biggest spurt of energy first thing in the morning. So don’t waste this time by doing an easy job. Instead, tackle the toughest jobs first and save the easier jobs until the afternoon.
- Split the big jobs into smaller jobs
If you have a big job to do; like a tax return. Split it into lots of smaller jobs and tackle them to make the job less intimidating. This might be the only thing you do in a day, but it will be split into multiple jobs. For instance; with a tax return you would split it into ‘incomings’, ‘expenses’, ‘chasing any outstanding invoices’, ‘double checks’ and ‘submitting’. It makes it a lot more actionable than just ‘do tax return’.
- Life admin
Don’t be afraid to add your ‘life admin’ jobs onto your to do lists. You need to make these jobs just as important as the ‘work’ or ‘household’ jobs. For instance, if you need to book a smear test, then pop it onto the to do list and cross it off when you are done. It’s a quick win in terms of getting things done, but its importance makes it a big win.
- Write your following days list the night before
the best time to write a to do list is the night before. You often have the most clarity at this time and then in the morning you can just get cracking with the tasks. Also, when you are writing the new list, celebrate the achievements of the day and congratulate yourself on them!
- soundtrack your day
Personally I like to soundtrack my day. It helps me stay focused and motivated and it also allows me to look forward to jobs. If I’m doing something like a tax return, I need to focus on the numbers so I’ll listen to soft soothing music which doesn’t take always my attention. Maybe something like The Moldy Peaches or Belle & Sebastian. If I’m doing something crafty, or decorating or gardening, then I will get stuck into a podcast or audiobook. It’s something to look forward to, especially if the task is a bit boring.
- keep it neat
Finally, if your list is filled with crossing out and doodles, it can be a lot of ‘eye clutter’. So don’t be afraid to delete lines of achieved tasks or re-write the list if it’s starting to look like a mess. There’s nothing more demotivating than a to do list which is a big ol’ mess!
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Ta da! And there we have it! Tips for smashing the TO DO LIST! I hope this helps! And the free printable is below, I made them and designed them myself, so I hope you like them! Enjoy!
