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Try the “SMART” method the next time you feel overwhelmed with your academic, professional, or personal to-do tasks. CREDIT: UNSPLASH
Tips for creating effective to-do lists Creating a to-do list will help you to get organized, conquer your next project, and reach your long-term goals
Using the SMART method to create effective to-do items
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verwhelmed with tasks and don’t know where to start? Creating a to-do list is a great way to manage your time when you have lots to do. Here are some tips and strategies to help you create effective to-do lists. By the end of this article, you will have gained a better understanding of the different types of to-do lists, as well as how to use the SMART guideline to create effective to-do items.
Master list
Day list
Project list
Types of to-do lists There are different types of to-do lists for different needs. Regardless of the type of list I create, I find it most efficient to create it on a digital device like a computer or phone. This way it’s easier to drag and drop items and they can also be synced across multiple devices. Let’s look at some of the different lists you can create.
Keep in mind that to-do lists are there to help you get the right things done and that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Try different ways to sort your tasks and find a system that works for you.
List by task type
Tiny task list
A master list serves as a type of inbox where you can dump all of your ideas, no matter how big or small, work-related or personal. Whenever you think of a todo item but are not sure how to categorize it, you can put it here. The master list can contain items of various priorities, projects, and lengths, therefore it can be quite lengthy and will need to be sorted and organized further. A day list contains tasks that you need to complete during the day, such as work, school, or personal tasks, depending on your daily schedule. Prior to starting your day, you can review your ongoing projects and determine what you need to accomplish next. Refer to your daily schedule as you create your day list and fill it with appropriate tasks. It’s recommended that the day list should not exceed seven items. When the number of items increases, you are less likely to finish them all. Project lists are created for specific projects. For example, a group project may involve several tasks and may require input from several people. It is therefore convenient to group these tasks together under a project list and share the list amongst project members. If you are using a to-do list app with a ‘label’ function (e.g. Todoist), you can further categorize your tasks by adding labels indicating the task type. For example, ‘mindless task,’ ‘creative task,’ or ‘analytical task.’ This can help you pick the most appropriate task according to your current mood and situation. For example, if your productivity levels are low, you can pick the mindless tasks and complete them while listening to music. The tiny task list is for tasks that can be completed within 10 minutes. For example, putting your laundry into your washing machine or doing your dishes. These tasks can oftentimes be grouped together and completed all at once.
Let’s review some guidelines when creating to-do items. You should write your tasks out in a specific way so that it is easy for you to understand what needs to be done. For example, writing ‘review chemistry lecture notes from chapters 1 & 2’ is better than ‘review chemistry final’ because you will know exactly what to do in order to study for your chemistry final. Also, using the ‘SMART’ method will help you to add relevant details to your to-do items.
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