How to Make a To Do List

Co-authored by Annie Lin, MBA

Last Updated: August 23, 2022 References Approved

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you have a lot on your plate. Between work responsibilities and personal obligations, life can get stressful, and it’s even more stressful when you forget something important. By creating organized to-do lists, you can prioritize the things you need to do, keep track of what still needs to be finished, and feel productive and prepared in all areas of your life.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Brainstorming Your Tasks

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Decide what medium works best for you. If your smartphone is in your hand all day every day, use the Notes application to create your to-do list. If you hate staring at a phone or computer screen, grab a pen or pencil and write your list by hand. A to-do list will not be helpful if you dread making it or using it, so choose whatever medium you prefer most.^{[1]
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- There are applications available for download, such as Any.do, Wunderlist, and Pocket Lists, that can help you organize your tasks in different ways.
2
List all of the tasks that you need to accomplish.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Sandra Possing
Life Coach
Expert Interview. 13 August 2020.} These can range from “Shower” to “Finish presentation for work next week” to “Find a present for Mom’s birthday next month.” As you can see, these tasks range in their nature, their importance, and the time they will take. Don’t worry about following a pattern or organizing them— that will happen later. For now, just write down every responsibility you think of.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Sandra Possing
Life Coach
Expert Interview. 13 August 2020.}
- Writing absolutely everything down, you will be getting it off your mind and onto paper. It will ensure you don't forget anything, and hopefully, it will also help your mind feel less crammed.^{[4]
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  Expert Source
  
  Sandra Possing
  Life Coach
  Expert Interview. 13 August 2020.}
- The running list of every single task you have on your radar will be referred to as your master list.
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3
Outsource any tasks you can. After you’ve listed the things you need to do, decide if you can enlist any help. This is especially important if you are overwhelmed or crunched for time. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, delegate duties, and resist the urge to micromanage. If it doesn’t need to be on your to-do radar, remove it.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Organizing Your Tasks

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Sort your master list into categories.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Sandra Possing
Life Coach
Expert Interview. 13 August 2020.} For example, you may have a to-do list for work and a to-do list for home. By creating separate lists, you can focus your attention and energy on one set of tasks at a time. There is no point in looking at your personal to-do list while you’re sitting in your office, so put it away!
- To be your most productive, you need to have tunnel vision on the tasks in front of you. Remove the background noise and the stress of future chores by making situation-specific lists.
2
Make your to-do lists for the current day only. Keep it simple! This will help you organize your tasks in order of priority, and you won’t feel overwhelmed looking ahead at tasks for tomorrow, next week, or next month. Be realistic about what you can accomplish in 24 hours.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Annie Lin, MBA
Life & Career Coach
Expert Interview. 25 November 2019.} Your daily to-do lists should have less than ten things, and maybe even less than five.^{[7]
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Research source}
- If you can’t figure out where to start, try this. Imagine you fast forward to bedtime. Which task do you want to be finished with first? That should be at the top of your list.
- Use your master list to make your daily lists. After you've created your daily list, put your master list away.
3
Estimate the time each task will take. Be realistic! If you over-commit yourself and constantly feel like you’re running out of time to get your list done, you will create unnecessary stress. It’s hard to be productive if you’re feeling flustered. Next to each task, jot down how much time you truly think each one will take. Use these time estimates to plan your day.^{[8]
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Trustworthy Source
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
Division of the University of Georgia focused on research and community education
Go to source}
- Give yourself a cushion of 10 to 15 minutes between each task. Realistically you cannot switch from one chore to another without any transition time, so consider this while you're making your schedule.
4
Make your list aesthetically-pleasing. This may sound superficial or unnecessary, but it really can help change the way you look at your to-do list. Write or type it out in your favorite color. Write on a piece of stationery, post it on a pretty bulletin board, or create a sleek document on your smartphone. Just create a list that inspires you to stay motivated and get things checked off.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Holding Yourself Accountable

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Write down due dates next to every task on your master list. These will help you as you are making your daily to-do lists. When you have a large number of tasks, it is easy to let things accidentally slip through the cracks. As you make your daily list each day, go over your master list and make sure you include any task with upcoming due dates.
- If there is no due date for a particular task, decide on a realistic date you’d really like to have it done by.
- If you aren’t setting goals for yourself, the less urgent things may never get done.
2
Put your to-do list somewhere you will see it regularly. There is no point in creating a list if you shove it in a drawer and forget about it. Make sure you are constantly seeing it! You may think that you won’t forget anything or that you’ll stay productive, but physically seeing a list of tasks you need to accomplish can really light the motivational fire within you.
- Carry it around with you. Post it on your bathroom mirror. Leave a copy in your purse and your car. Just put it somewhere where it will be in your face.
3
Share your list with someone. It can be a parent, a friend, a significant other, or a co-worker. Just make sure it is someone who will check up on your list and inquire about your progress. You probably won’t feel very good if you tell someone you didn’t check anything off your to-do list for a whole day!
- You don’t need a babysitter, and no one probably wants to be your babysitter. However, it is incredibly helpful to have someone holding you accountable.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How can I prioritize my to-do list?

Annie Lin, MBA
Life & Career Coach
Annie Lin is the founder of New York Life Coaching, a life and career coaching service based in Manhattan. Her holistic approach, combining elements from both Eastern and Western wisdom traditions, has made her a highly sought-after personal coach. Annie’s work has been featured in Elle Magazine, NBC News, New York Magazine, and BBC World News. She holds an MBA degree from Oxford Brookes University. Annie is also the founder of the New York Life Coaching Institute which offers a comprehensive life coach certification program. Learn more: https://newyorklifecoaching.com

Annie Lin, MBA

Life & Career Coach

Expert Answer

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Start with tasks that require the most focus so you can get them out of the way early.
Question

How can I make a to-do list?

Annie Lin, MBA
Life & Career Coach
Annie Lin is the founder of New York Life Coaching, a life and career coaching service based in Manhattan. Her holistic approach, combining elements from both Eastern and Western wisdom traditions, has made her a highly sought-after personal coach. Annie’s work has been featured in Elle Magazine, NBC News, New York Magazine, and BBC World News. She holds an MBA degree from Oxford Brookes University. Annie is also the founder of the New York Life Coaching Institute which offers a comprehensive life coach certification program. Learn more: https://newyorklifecoaching.com

Annie Lin, MBA

Life & Career Coach

Expert Answer

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Just list everything you want to get done the morning of or night before so you have a plan for your day.
Question

How can I keep up with my habits?

Sandra Possing
Life Coach
Sandra Possing is a life coach, speaker, and entrepreneur based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sandra specializes in one-on-one coaching with a focus on mindset and leadership transformation. Sandra received her coaching training from The Coaches Training Institute and has seven years of life coaching experience. She holds a BA in Anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Sandra Possing

Life Coach

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Start small and build up to what you want to accomplish. For example, if you want to exercise every day for 30 minutes, start by exercising twice a week for 10 minutes. As you get used to it, you can push yourself to do more. Habits are built on practice and repetition, so don't give up!