How to Make a To Do List

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It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you have a lot on your plate. Between work responsibilities and personal obligations, life can get stressful , and it’s even more stressful when you forget something important. By creating organized to-do lists, you can prioritize the things you need to do, keep track of what still needs to be finished and feel productive and prepared in all areas of your life.

Part 1
Part 1 of 4:

Brainstorming Your Tasks

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  1. If your smartphone is in your hand all day every day, use the Notes application to create your to-do list. If you hate staring at a phone or computer screen, grab a pen or pencil and write your list by hand. A to-do list will not be helpful if you dread making it or using it, so choose whatever medium you prefer most. [1]
    • There are applications available for download, such as Any.do, Wunderlist, and Pocket Lists, that can help you organize your tasks in different ways.
  2. [2] These can range from “Shower” to “Finish presentation for work next week” to “Find a present for Mom’s birthday next month.” As you can see, these tasks range in their nature, their importance, and the time they will take. Don’t worry about following a pattern or organizing them— that will happen later. For now, just write down every responsibility you think of. [3]
    • Writing absolutely everything down, you will be getting it off your mind and onto paper. It will ensure you don't forget anything, and hopefully, it will also help your mind feel less cramped. [4]
    • The running list of every single task you have on your radar will be referred to as your master list.
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  3. After you’ve listed the things you need to do, decide if you can enlist any help. This is especially important if you are overwhelmed or crunched for time. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, delegate duties, and resist the urge to micromanage. If it doesn’t need to be on your to-do radar, remove it.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 4:

Organizing Your Tasks

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  1. [5] For example, you may have a to-do list for work and a to-do list for home. By creating separate lists, you can focus your attention and energy on one set of tasks at a time. There is no point in looking at your to-do list while you’re sitting in your office, so put it away!
    • To be your most productive , you need to have tunnel vision on the tasks in front of you. Remove the background noise and the stress of future chores by making situation-specific lists.
  1. Keep it simple! This will help you organize your tasks in order of priority, and you won’t feel overwhelmed looking ahead at tasks for tomorrow, next week, or next month. Be realistic about what you can accomplish in 24 hours. [6] Your daily to-do lists should have less than ten things, and maybe even less than five. [7]
    • If you can’t figure out where to start, try this. Imagine you fast forward to bedtime. Which task do you want to be finished with first? That should be at the top of your list.
    • Use your master list to make your daily lists. After you've created your daily list, put your master list away.
    • Draw a star next to the most important items, and rewrite the list in order of priority. For example, "pick up Jim from work" would likely be at the top of your list, while tasks like "organize the closet" can be put near the bottom.
  2. Be realistic! If you over-commit yourself and constantly feel like you’re running out of time to get your list done, you will create unnecessary stress. It’s hard to be productive if you’re feeling flustered. Next to each task, jot down how much time you truly think each one will take. Use these time estimates to plan your day. [8]
    • Give yourself a cushion of 10 to 15 minutes between each task. Realistically you cannot switch from one chore to another without any transition time, so consider this while you're making your schedule .
  3. Sometimes, you may have a few important items on your list that are totally overwhelming! One of the best ways to deal with this is to write down their specific steps as separate to-do items. For example, "Run errands" can be broken up into:
    • Pick up clothes from the laundromat
    • Get ingredients for dinner tonight
    • Find a birthday gift for Amy
    • Drop off the package at the post office
  4. This may sound superficial or unnecessary, but it really can help change the way you look at your to-do list. Write or type it out in your favorite color. Write on a piece of stationery, post it on a pretty bulletin board, or create a sleek document on your smartphone. Just create a list that inspires you to stay motivated and get things checked off.
  5. By now, your checklist is probably looking pretty long. If you have any tasks that you can save for another day, write them on a separate list.
  6. This step is optional, but it will help you feel much more organized, and possibly more motivated, to have a nice, neat checklist to glance at.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 4:

Holding Yourself Accountable

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  1. These will help you as you are making your daily to-do lists. When you have a large number of tasks, it is easy to let things accidentally slip through the cracks. As you make your daily list each day, go over your master list and make sure you include any task with upcoming due dates.
    • If there is no due date for a particular task, decide on a realistic date you’d really like to have it done by.
    • If you aren’t setting goals for yourself, the less urgent things may never get done.
  2. There is no point in creating a list if you shove it in a drawer and forget about it. Make sure you are constantly seeing it! You may think that you won’t forget anything or that you’ll stay productive, but physically seeing a list of tasks you need to accomplish can light the motivational fire within you.
    • Carry it around with you. Post it on your bathroom mirror. Leave a copy in your purse and your car. Just put it somewhere where it will be in your face.
  3. It can be a parent, a friend, a significant other, or a co-worker. Just make sure it is someone who will check up on your list and inquire about your progress. You probably won’t feel very good if you tell someone you didn’t check anything off your to-do list for a whole day!
    • You don’t need a babysitter, and no one probably wants to be your babysitter. However, it is incredibly helpful to have someone holding you accountable.
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Part 4
Part 4 of 4:

Using Your Checklist

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  1. Find 1-3 items that you can check off almost instantly, and get them done. These could be anything from "brush teeth" to "text Andrea"; what matters most is that they're easy and don't take a lot of time.
    • If you have "write a checklist" on your list, go ahead and check it off!
    • Different tasks may be easier or harder for some people, and that's okay. Just work on what's easy for you specifically.
  2. These tasks go quicker and are easier to finish. You will enjoy getting most of them done.
  3. Some people prefer to do the second-hardest task next, while others like to jump to the second-easiest and work their way down. Some people just do the tasks in a random order! Whatever works for you is fine.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How can I prioritize my to-do list?
    Annie Lin, MBA
    Life & Career Coach
    Annie Lin is the founder of New York Life Coaching, a life and career coaching service based in Manhattan. Her holistic approach, combining elements from both Eastern and Western wisdom traditions, has made her a highly sought-after personal coach. Annie’s work has been featured in Elle Magazine, NBC News, New York Magazine, and BBC World News. She holds an MBA degree from Oxford Brookes University. Annie is also the founder of the New York Life Coaching Institute which offers a comprehensive life coach certification program.
    Annie Lin, MBA
    Life & Career Coach
    Expert Answer
    Start with tasks that require the most focus so you can get them out of the way early.
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    Not Helpful 2 Helpful 11
  • Question
    How can I make a to-do list?
    Annie Lin, MBA
    Life & Career Coach
    Annie Lin is the founder of New York Life Coaching, a life and career coaching service based in Manhattan. Her holistic approach, combining elements from both Eastern and Western wisdom traditions, has made her a highly sought-after personal coach. Annie’s work has been featured in Elle Magazine, NBC News, New York Magazine, and BBC World News. She holds an MBA degree from Oxford Brookes University. Annie is also the founder of the New York Life Coaching Institute which offers a comprehensive life coach certification program.
    Annie Lin, MBA
    Life & Career Coach
    Expert Answer
    Just list everything you want to get done the morning of or night before so you have a plan for your day.
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    Thank you for your feedback.
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    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 11
  • Question
    How can I keep up with my habits?
    Sandra Possing
    Life Coach
    Sandra Possing is a life coach, speaker, and entrepreneur based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sandra specializes in one-on-one coaching with a focus on mindset and leadership transformation. Sandra received her coaching training from The Coaches Training Institute and has seven years of life coaching experience. She holds a BA in Anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles.
    Sandra Possing
    Life Coach
    Expert Answer
    Start small and build up to what you want to accomplish. For example, if you want to exercise every day for 30 minutes, start by exercising twice a week for 10 minutes. As you get used to it, you can push yourself to do more. Habits are built on practice and repetition, so don't give up!
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      • Plan your to-do list when your energy levels are high so you feel ready to tackle all the tasks.
      • Writing down your tasks in a bright color can help you remember them better.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://journals.lww.com/nursingmadeincrediblyeasy/Fulltext/2022/01000/12_strategies_for_getting_your_to_do_list_done.4.aspx
      2. ↑ Sandra Possing. Life Coach. Expert Interview. 13 August 2020.
      3. ↑ Sandra Possing. Life Coach. Expert Interview. 13 August 2020.
      4. ↑ Sandra Possing. Life Coach. Expert Interview. 13 August 2020.
      5. ↑ Sandra Possing. Life Coach. Expert Interview. 13 August 2020.
      6. ↑ Annie Lin, MBA. Life & Career Coach. Expert Interview. 25 November 2019.
      7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua27gc_090E
      8. ↑ https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1042&title=Time%20Management:%2010%20Strategies%20for%20Better%20Time%20Management
      9. ↑ Annie Lin, MBA. Life & Career Coach. Expert Interview. 25 November 2019.

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To make a to-do list, start by writing down any and all tasks that you need to accomplish. Next, sort the list into categories based on where you can complete the tasks, like work or home. Then, break each list down further by making a to-do list only for the current day, with only tasks that you can realistically accomplish in 24 hours. Next to each item, write an estimate of the time each thing will take so you don’t run out of time and feel flustered. For tips on holding yourself accountable when it comes to completing your to-do list, read on!

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