3 Steps to a Better To-Do List

Dear K & K: Every week, I sigh when I look at all of the stuff I didn’t accomplish on my To-Do list. I wonder if I’m not efficient or productive or I don’t know?? My husband tells me I just put too much on my plate, which might be true. Any suggestions to improve my productivity? Signed: Sighing in Sedona

Dear Sighing: Becoming amazing at a To- Do list is easy when you realize this one glaring problem. Half of the battle is estimating how much time you actually have to accomplish things in a day.

The only people who should religiously use To-Do Lists are Classics, Organic Structures and Smart Structures. SO, we write this reply under the assumption that your organizing type falls within one of those.

Step 1: Get an all-in-one To-Do List and Calendar. This way, you can plan and see your week and your To-Do list. We love the Smythson Soho Agenda on the high-end and then Filofax inserts likes these from Jane’s Agenda on the more reasonable-end.

Step 2: Schedule time once a week to write out your To-Do lists. Write it all out on one side and then apportion items per day. NEXT, put down appointments and activities you’re doing each day in addition to your To-Dos. Adding appointments and To-Dos in one place will train you to realize how busy you are on any particular day and better apportion your To Dos accordingly.

Step 3: Cross off everything that you finish. If you don’t finish a To-Do, don’t waste time everyday recopying what you didn’t finish into the following day. Just start each day, noticing whether you have leftovers (uncrossed off items) from yesterday and whether you have time that day to do it. All our best: Katie & Kelly