Productivity Tip: Take Control of Your To-Do List

The dreaded to-do list. It may seem to rule your life. If you are like many of us, you may even have several different to-do lists. And most likely, you have a love-hate relationship with them: they are a constant source of stress, but you can’t imagine how you would keep track of everything without them.

Since throwing away your to-do list completely probably isn’t a realistic option, your next best option is to try and make peace with your to-do list by figuring out how to organize it in a way that works best for you.

First, you need to evaluate your current process and see what you are doing right or wrong. You may be setting yourself up for failure without even realizing it. For example, if you tend to list every single small task on your list, the sheer volume of tasks may cause you to feel overwhelmed. On the other hand, some people like have a detailed list because then they feel a sense of accomplishment each time they can cross something off, no matter how small the task. So a lot depends on your particular personality.

The format of your to-do list also depends on your work style and preferences. Some people prefer good old-fashioned paper and pencil, but many of us have taken our to-do list high-tech and love using tools that can help us manage and organize our lists. If you are in that camp, you might want to check out this list of the five best to-do list managers.

How do you organize and control your to-do list? Share tips in the comments.

Image courtesy of Thinkstock