What do you do when your to do list gets too long?

Question

I have a question for you well-organized people out there. What do you do when your to do list ends up with 40 or more items on it, or threatens to do so? I am thinking of a to do list that includes both some work responsibilities and many personal ones . This is more likely to come up if you keep one master "to do" list or if you let a computer or PDA keep track of your tasks. There are several approaches to this problem that I can think of, but since this is not a problem that I currently handle very well, I'd especially like to hear from those of you who feel that you are reasonably well organized and get most important things done in a timely way. What are your secrets? THANK YOU!

Answer 1

Hi. We operate 2 businesses, home-school 3 school age children (all under 9) in addition to managing a toddler and soon-to-be new-born. Six months ago, we sold our home to travel across the country promoting our businesses and spend a year traveling to our new home across the country. Bottom-line: organization is critical. ;)

Here's what I have learned about myself and to-do lists:
• I've found that when I let other people's priorities end up on my to-do list, I struggle to get things done and before I know it, I have 40 or more items which is unmanageable.
• I am an over-achiever, so checking things off my list motivates and encourages me. If my list gets too long and I cannot see quick results, I function poorly and my list becomes meaningless and worthless.

How do we manage to-do lists?
• Separate longer, life lists such as what we want to accomplish or do before we retire/die aside.
• Keep household chores off of lists. I am a detailed person and if that door needs painting, I don't need a list to tell me. So there are only 3 things to do with those wanna-be tasks: do it now, hire it done or dismiss it until I am motivated enough to do it now or hire it done.
• When I have to manage others, I let them keep their own lists. If they are not accountable to manage their own lists, then putting them on my list is not the answer. Finding new people is.
• And lastly, I only put things on my list that I can accomplish in a reasonable time frame - for me, a week or two. If it won't be done in that time frame, then I don't care enough about it to have it distract me everyday.

This method helps us to 3-4 high priority tasks done every week or so and, as a result, we quickly and effectively move towards our goals.

Hope this helps.

Best wishes!

Answer 2

Look at your lfe logically, perhaps from a different prespective. Some things on your ''to do'' list will be important and vital to yourself and others; others will seem very unimportant. You should dismiss the tasks that really don't matter and don't have a large impact. I'm not saying drop them forever, but just until you cut the rest of the list a little shorter.
But as an aspiring psycologist, I think you should try something different. You see, "to do" lists can be composed of the smallest things and when you list all those samll things, a person obviously is shocked and amazed by the long list, they forget that most of the tasks are simple.
You sound like this "to do" list is going out of hand and you are getting stressed out. So for a couple of days to a week, drop the "to do" list. You will find that you only rember the things that really matter, like a deadline for a piece of work. All the other things which aren't as important to you are simply forgotten.
Right now, you have been lead to think all of the things on this list are important, when actually only a small fraction actually are.
I was once like you and I felt ruled by my "to do" list. I did the same thing I'm telling you to do, and now I don't need a to do list to hand in my college papers on time.

Answer 3

First, separate the personal from the work lists. Learn to make your chores smaller, so that you can do each in just a few minutes (feels good crossing a bunch of things out when they are done).

Is it possible that you have simply taken on more than you can handle? If so, you need to list your goals and priorities--and get rid of the ones that aren't absolutely essential to your plan. Make only the most important of appointments; keep them shorter.

I liked the types of jobs where I was given all my work in advance, the boss would then leave, and my responsibility was to have everything done by the end of the day. I detest the type of job where people are looking over your shoulder waiting--as this is extremely stressful.

Your personal and work lives are two separate entities, and you need to keep them very far apart from each other. If either is too demanding or stressful, perhaps you need to make a change.

Good luck, I know it can be tough to have a happy balance.

Answer 4

I organize by most important.
Things around the house can be eaily taken care of if there are other people there. I have my husband do certain things on certain days and my son also does things for me.
As for work, I make a list and figure out which needs the quickest solution. I respond quickly to e-mails and when a task is given to me I take care of it as soon as possible so that it doesn't sit on my desk. If there are things that a co-worker can help me out with, I ask. Then later on I can return the favor. I do carry around a Palm Pilot so that I can keep track of what needs to be done and what has already been done.

Answer 5

I have 'seasonal' lists, monthly lists, weekly lists, and just 'personal' lists. I try to do the easiest ones first. But certain times I put all the 'big' stuff together on one list. Because sometimes the big stuff is all connected. Then...there are things that have to be done by a certain time frame. Some how...it all works out. And everything does it done in a timely manner.

Oh, I put it all on a computer...then print the lists. Then I put them where I will always be seeing them...so I don't forget them.

Answer 6

Personally when I think something needs to be done I do them at that very moment. I don't make lists at all. I'm normally a very organized person, but when it comes to making lists I forget the list or don't follow it at all. And I just keep being the busy body that I am..

Good luck to you!

Answer 7

well for me its like i have 1 million things to do and not enough time in one day to do it. what i do is get the most important things done first, then work on the not so important and down the line and if i have to i divide it up by doing them every other day to keep up with things.

Answer 8

I cut the list in half and throw one half away.... obviously half the stuff on the list aren't important, otherwise I would have done them already.

Answer 9

Just start taking steps to accomplish a few things. Don't overwhelm yourself. I tend to do that, i look at all the things i need to do at once. Pick the easiest and quickest one and work to complete it and once you do that, just go to the next.