How to Escape To Do List Hell?

Let me set the scene – It is a lovely Saturday morning and I am sitting in my office preparing this week’s blog posts. 

I am not sure why but for some reason, I glance sideways at the wall to see a to do list hanging there.

The list is written on a post it note (one of those big ones that looks like a page from a flip chart) and stuck to my wall. 

The heading at the top of the page reads To Do List Thurs/Friday.  Some of the tasks are ticked off and completed, some are still outstanding.

There is just one BIG problem with this picture.  The to do list is about 4 months old.  I couldn’t even tell you when I wrote it, or exactly how long it has been hanging on my wall. 

If I went through my inbox, I would find more to do lists in my email.  When I was working full time for my employer, I would make up lists of actions that I wanted to complete on my blog over the coming weekend.

Here are my thoughts on sorting through a to do list dilemma.

Have ONE to do list

One area where I have been extremely successful working through my to do list has been when I go travelling.  I make up one central list (which can sometimes be pages long) and I work through the list methodically, striking items out as I go.

Obviously this is a process I need to incorporate back into my work.

Work from one list.  Have a clear vision of what you want to achieve.

Be realistic

When I was writing up my multiple action lists, I was working two jobs.  One with my employer 40 hours per week and the other blogging nights and weekends.  Bearing that in mind, I realise now my lists were completely unrealistic.  To do everything on the list would have required 48 hours in each day, instead of 24. 

The lists I wrote at work were more likely lists of what I wanted to be working on at that exact moment, not lists of what I could successfully achieve in one weekend.  At the time of writing, my lists were fuelled by frustration not motivation.

While it is certainly a good idea to push yourself to your full potential, it is another to set yourself up to fail with over the top ‘I can not fit it all in, no matter how hard I work’ to do lists.  Instead set realistic action lists and time frames, work hard and set yourself up to succeed.

You may be pleased to know that during my first week working from home full time, I completed a large number of items on my list.

Grade items on the list

I tend to pile everything on to my to do list, from the major tasks that MUST be done today, to the minor ones that could be done by the end of the month without causing a problem.

Grade your items so that you are working on your important/urgent ones first.  It could be as simple as using an A,B,C system or numbering them according to importance.

It would also come in handy to date each list, that way you have a visual reminder of when the list was originated, which will assist in determining completion dates.

Cull your list

Do you need to be brutal and cull your to do list?

If I had a close look at my lists, I would guarantee there are some items I could cull, items that should never have made it onto the list in the first place.

If you are anything like me, sometimes your list acts as a brainstorming outlet.  I jot down tasks as they pop into my head.  Yet this doesn’t mean that every idea needs to be completed.  Some ideas require further research to see if I want to follow through on their implementation.  Keep your brainstorming ideas separate from your to do list.

Realise the tasks you are avoiding could be really important

Whether we realise it or not, sometimes the tasks we fail to complete on our action lists, link directly back to our fears.  The fears we don’t like to talk about, let alone admit to ourselves.  The big, dark scary fears that hold us back. 

In these instances, the scary task can sometimes be the most important.  Though it can be tempting to procrastinate and put off the fear factor, you will learn and grow a lot more if you dive in feet first and get the task done.

Looking at my old wall list, I realise one of the tasks I did not complete was important.  Important in the fact that it would have earned income, while most of the tasks I ticked off certainly didn’t.  Yet I put it off because I was nervous about working on the task at the time.

The task I mentioned above was a writing market.  A market which is no longer available.  I missed that particular opportunity because I let my fear override my determination.  Don’t make the same mistake.  Seize opportunities as they arise.

What if you don’t use to do lists?

If you never use lists and remember everything in your head (and get it all done), I take my hat off to you.  I wish I was more like you.  I need to write everything down or something slips between the memory cracks.

If you are someone that doesn’t need or use to do lists (written, electronic or otherwise) I would love to hear from you. 

Do you have any horror to do list stories? Please feel free to leave your comments.

Now if you will excuse me, I have to go rip something off my office wall.

This post was written by...

Thea – who has written 265 posts on Write Change Grow.

Hi! Welcome to my blog.  I'm a freelance writer and blogger. For more Write Change Grow goodness, sign up for my free newsletter.  You can connect with me on Facebook and Twitter.

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