Making Lists

Lists help us stay on track, make our days easier, and provide us a sense of accomplishment - If they’re done right.

Lists can benefit us because they force us to choose between what’s necessary and what’s not. All too often we find ourselves wrapped up in little things, sometimes to the point that we don’t finish the big ones that are most important. This leaves us exhausted at the end of the day and wondering why nothing got done.


By creating a list and identifying what’s important you always know what you have to do next. Then when little things come up, as they always do, you have a place to add them too so you can continue working on what’s important. You’ll get to the little things later.

Steps to making lists that work:

· Start before the beginning of the week by writing down all of the projects and homework that are due and need to be worked on that week. (It’s best to complete this on Sunday night before the week starts.) Next, add the due dates next to each one. Having a weekly list of what to do and when will help narrow down what you put on your daily list.

· Each morning as you’re eating breakfast get out your list of things to do that week. Decide what absolutely needs to be done that day and write it at the top of your daily list. Try to divide your weekly tasks evenly throughout the week so you don’t get burnt out by Tuesday. If you think you have time to do a little more that day add other projects that need to be started but not necessarily finished. Doing a little each day will add up, especially when it comes to big projects.

Dividing up your week and deciding what needs to be done each morning will give you a stopping point each day; a point where you can put everything down and not feel guilty.

· Remember to keep the most important thing at the top of your list. Organizing the importance of daily tasks is very important. It gives you a path to follow so you can’t get distracted from what’s important. If you get to the end of a day and haven’t finished everything, at least you finished what was most important. What ever else is left can be added to tomorrows list.
· Don’t add little unnecessary things to your list. Adding things like laundry or cleaning will only make you not want to keep up with list making. It’ll give you more things to do than is possible in 24 hours. You only want to have really important things on your list like study for Biology or start working on the 10 page paper that’s due soon.

Decide if you still want to do the little things when you’ve completed the important ones. This way you feel prosperous and stay motivated. And, you’ll often find that by putting off little things you actually never do them because they weren’t important after all.

· Keep your list short and achievable. Keeping it short will make it easy to complete and allow you some wiggle room. Also, don’t add time blocks to your daily tasks. Timing your tasks increases frustration when things take longer than they should and they always will. Just work on each task until they’re done, take a small break and move on.

· Put it somewhere where you’ll see it. Put your list where you can easily access it or where it’s in plain view. If it’s easy to get at you’re more likely to stick by it.

· The most important part of making lists is knowing when to quit. When you’ve completed the tasks on your list, stop. You’ve divided up your workload among the days of the week so when you’re done you’re done. Go do something you love. Play like a kid, have fun.

And remember, it’s easy to stay motivated when there’s an end in sight.

-Brett

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