Do you like to know the benefits of to-do lists? How can you make best use of to-do lists? Are to-do lists the best techniques to manage your time? This article is aimed at seeking proper answers to these questions.
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What is a to-do list?
Sometimes we find ourselves lost in our tasks and assignments. They seem so heavy or better to say so boring to us that we tend to postpone them. By that time we get stressed out. Moreover, we do not know where to start. In that case, the better option is to first sit and think what could be the best thing we can do now. It can be organizing our tasks in our mind and prioritizing them by their importance and their deadlines.
Since the mind forgets really fast, bring a pen and paper as well, or if you are more used to typing, bring your phone and type your list. As a result, you are capable of seeing what you have to do in order of their importance in front of your eyes and this can give a sense of relief to you. This list is what is called a To-Do list.
But what is the true and actual definition of a to-do list and what are the advantages of writing one? This is what we are going to discuss in this article.
Benefits of to-do lists
“A to-do is a list of the tasks that you have to do, or things that you want to do.” says Cambridge Dictionary. And referring to Wikipedia: “A list of errands and other tasks that one needs or intends to accomplish.”
Now that we know what a to-do list is, we can jump into its advantages. Some people assume that writing a list is a waste of time and they can put their tasks in their minds. However, it’s not what a to-do list is all about.
Brain likes organization
When we have a list, we will have a better view of what is ahead of us and organization helps the brain to focus better. Writing a to-do list stops the distractions from triggering our brain and mind. Consequently, we are able to concentrate on our tasks better.
Have a better feeling about yourself
The next step that almost everybody suggests is marking or dashing the tasks that you have written in your to-do list. This will give you a great motivation to complete your list. That is because we get a positive feeling when we see the things are in our control. In addition, by the end of the day when the list is all marked, we will feel a sense of proud in ourselves. As a result, we tend to do this in the following days.
Reduce Stress
If you are an overthinker or during the day you have a sense of running out of time and you are always in a rush, or maybe you are one of those people that after a busy day and doing all of your tasks you still don’t feel relieved, then a to-do list can be a great help. By having a to-do list and writing all that has to be done by a day, you will feel a sense of control over your tasks and schedule. Therefore, it causes you to be more relaxed and it decreases stress.
More free time
When we say a busy day, we usually mean a day that we can’t find any free time in it and we will be 24 hours busy working. But the thing is that most of the time people tend to postpone their jobs and tasks and when the deadline is close they will be full time busy finishing them.
Furthermore, studies have shown that people spend a significant amount of time overthinking and daydreaming in a day, and this would waste a remarkable part of our day, too. However, when we have a to-do list, most of this waste of time would be gone. Our tasks would be little by little and day by day done, so it opens space for more free time and extra plans, e.g. going out with friends, watching movies, playing games, etc.
Daily vs. weekly do-do list
A daily list contains the tasks and jobs for a day that are our short goals. However a weekly list includes the tasks that should be done in a week. A weekly to-do list should consist of long-term and bigger plans and goals. Some people would feel better and more organized when they have a bigger sight of their almost expected future and by having and writing a weekly to-do list, they would know what they want to be done and accomplish by a week.
In addition, some write monthly and yearly to-do lists, too. These lists obviously embrace huger goals, the goals that you’re required to achieve in a longer-term.
Conclusion
In this article, we got to know what is a to-do list and its advantages and in today’s world you are able to find many ways such as many different apps and notebooks that give you this ability to write and record your short and long-term goals and if you are looking for a way to be more organized and be more assured of your plans and goals that would get you to the person you want to be, A to-Do list is there for you to help.
This is a well-written article on an important subject. I used to rely on my mind instead of writing a to-do list. But as mentioned in the article we can not always rely on our memory and for being more organized and use our time in the best and most efficient way it is the best choice to have a to-do list. I personally try to use the advantage of having both a daily and long-term to-do list.
That’s right. To-do lists will give us clarity of mind and confidence. By checking the completed tasks and crossing them out, we can increase the level of our motivation to a high degree. In fact, according to Socrates, “the unexamined life is not worth living”.
I actually enjoyed it because the righting was for armaghan and it was really good.
That’s right. This article is well-written, and the topic is so interesting and inspiring, as well.
I personally prefer to have a daily to-do list and besides that, a weekly to-do list as well. Because if I don’t write my tasks and goals in a paper, then I am going to think about them all the time because I’m afraid that I miss something.
Thank you for writing this amazing article.
For a while, I’ve been using Google Calendar and Google Tasks to get organized and have peace of mind. These apps are easily synched on both desktops and mobile devices, so you can get organized anywhere, anytime.
Good
It’s so good to see you back, Sam, after such a long time! You’re always welcome to join our online community.
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