Last Updated on May 4, 2024

I love lists, and over the past couple of years I’ve been writing a daily a to do list to try to get whatever I need to do done.

On the days when I don’t have a to do list, I find that I just wander around aimlessly, not working towards anything, and therefore, at the end of the day feel like I haven’t accomplished much.

But, on the flip side, when I do have a daily to do list, lately I’m finding that I over schedule my days by listing too many things that I’d like to get done, and then life with a newborn and a preschooler takes over, which results in not getting done what I planned to.

So, in an effort to tick things off my to do list, I thought I’d write a post on how to prioritise your to do list and get things done. I hope these ideas help you if you have the same to do list issues that I do.

START WITH WRITING A MASTER TO DO LIST

The best way to make sure you get things done is to write down everything that you want to do on a master to do list.

You can also add to dos to this list anytime a new to do springs to mind.

Once you’ve written a master to do list make a note of the to dos that need to be done on a recurring basis, for example daily, weekly, monthly or yearly.

Once you’ve done this, schedule them on your to do list for the day that they need to be done to ensure that they get done on time.

If you’d like to learn more about a master to do list, then please visit this post how to do a brain dump to help manage mum life.

For the rest of your tasks on your master to do list, make a note of how long they will take to complete and then group tasks that take the same time. So for example, all tasks that will take 20 minutes or less to complete can be grouped together, tasks that will take 30-60 minutes to complete can be grouped together etc.

These tasks can then be added to your to do list on a day when you’ll have the right amount of time to get them done.

BE REALISTIC ABOUT YOUR TIME

For each item you have on your to do list, think about the amount of time it will take to get done, and only leave it on your to do list if you have enough time to complete it.

If you have a task that will take most of the day then think about making it the only thing you do for the day. Likewise, if you have tasks that won’t take much time, then think about anything else you can add.

You may also like to include things on your to do list that you need to do such as cooking dinner, cleaning dishes, taking kids to and from school, and other household management tasks, so you know exactly how much time you have to dedicate to your to do list.

PRIORITISE YOUR TOP THREE TASKS

Each morning prioritise your top three tasks, the tasks that absolutely must get done no matter what.

This way if you only get these three things done, you will feel like you’ve accomplished a lot during the day.

If you like, you may also prefer to just have three things on your to do list each day, as keeping your to do list short is an ideal way to get things done.

PUT AWAY ANY DISTRACTIONS

It’s so easy to get distracted during the day, phone calls, messages, social media and TV can distract you from your task at hand.

If you have anything that distracts you during the day think about putting it out of sight so you can focus on ticking things off your to do list.

TACKLE ONE THING AT A TIME

It’s so tempting to start something before finishing something else, but the best way to prioritise your to do list and get things done is to focus on one to do at a time, and don’t move on to the next item until you’ve finished the one before.

CHECK YOUR LIST EVERY MORNING AND EVERY NIGHT

Every morning take a look at your to do list and work out the order you’d like to get things done. Every night look at your to do list again and tick off what was done, and move anything you didn’t get done to another day, or remove it from your to do list if you decide it’s no longer important.

MAKE SURE YOU PUT YOURSELF FIRST

Prioritising your to do list and getting things done is fantastic, but don’t forget to prioritise yourself as well.

Make sure you allow yourself some time for your health and well being and aren’t constantly working every day to get things ticked off your to do list.

I hope you’ve found some great ways to better manage your to do list and get things done that you need to, as well as take care of your own needs.

How do you prioritise your to do list and get things done?