Oh hi! You look like someone who loves free workouts, discounts for cutting-edge wellness brands, and exclusive Well+Good content. You can also revise as you go, so try to think of your to-do list as written in pencil rather than carved in stone. As deadlines approach and new actions are added, ensuring that your list is up to date will save you from the hassle at a later, less convenient time,' says Lovell. 'Some tasks need to be prioritized over others, so it’s essential to be consistent in revising your to-do list. Is it in the best order? Are your practicing the 'eat the frog' technique (where you complete the hardest thing at the beginning of the day), or are you saving your most important task for when the afternoon slump kicks in? Step 5: Revise, revise, reviseīefore you decide your to-do list is ready to be put into action, check it again. If you don't end up needing that extra time, you can use it to get ahead for tomorrow or take a self-care moment instead. Instead of packing your schedule to the brim, leave a little space for the unforeseen. 'Projects don’t always go as expected, and planning for that potential will decrease stress and ensure you have time to adjust and accomplish the task,' says Tarnacki. Life isn't perfect, so your to-do list needs to be flexible enough to help you roll with the punches. Step 4: Slot in placeholders for the unexpected So you decide to answer a few emails each day until-woohoo!-you do it. For example, maybe your goal is to reach inbox zero. 'Goals should be your big-picture achievements or desired outcomes, and your task list should guide you towards attaining them,' says Lovell.

Make every list item goal-oriented rather than task-oriented.'Be sure to provide yourself with a realistic amount of time to complete all the necessary tasks and focus on priority items.' However, it’s not always beneficial and can often lead to increased stress and burnout,' says Lovelly. 'It’s easy to throw a ton of to-dos onto your plate. Limit the total number of tasks you schedule each day.That way, you're not stuck in a six-hour, deck-writing crunch on Thursday evening. For example, if you have a deck due on Friday, pencil in 'complete slides one through three' for Tuesday and 'complete slides four through six' on Wednesday, and so on. Break big tasks into smaller, bite-sized tasks.Go ahead and write your to-do list with a few tips in mind:

Make do list