Once I have carefully crafted my to-do list for the following day, I look it over and decide which tasks will be my “top 3” for the day. You can read the full breakdown of how I’m implementing this right here. I still have a Master List (or rather several master lists), but it is more project-focused vs. I have since evolved this system using some of the methods I learned after reading David Allen’s “Getting Things Done”. I would also pull tasks from this list if I had a particularly light load the next day and would have time to tackle something that was not necessarily pressing but rather would be nice to get done and out of the way. When I sat down in the evening to craft my to-do list for the next day, I referenced my Brain Dump to see what had become a time-sensitive task. I use the notebook threading technique described by Kim (Tiny Ray of Sunshine).Įvery time I think of something that needed to be done (but not necessarily today), it got added to this master list. Once I tackled a task, I would put an “X” through the bullet and make a little note (in parenthesis) to remind myself when I accomplished it or where the results can be found. I used to house my entire “Brain Dump” in its own notebook pictured below. It was a list of non-urgent tasks that were not immediately time-sensitive. Previously, my “master” list was what I often referred to as my “brain dump”. I encourage you to try these techniques, but if you find that only some of it applies to your life/needs, then by all means take what works for you and leave the rest. It’s up to you to decide what you can take and implement into your own planning system. This method is what works for me personally. It’s all about what works for you as an individual. Before I dive in to explaining how I craft my to-do list each day, I’d like to point out that to-do lists come in all shapes and sizes. It helps you overcome that feeling of overwhelm and the anxiety of whether or not you’re being productive throughout the day. A well-crafted to-do list acts as a guiding light for your day.

On my to do list