I don’t know about you, but I have a lot going on these days. I’m married, work 50+ hours a week as a Communications Director for a Member of Congress, attend church on Sundays and Wednesdays, do my personal devotions every day, cook, clean, vacuum, maintain some sort of social life, and somewhere in there, I try to blog. (UPDATE: I now have a baby, too!) I may not know you, but I’m willing to bet your life is equally as hectic, just filled with different things. I’m also not trying to wear my busyness as a badge of honor; if anything, it’s overwhelming. And this is why I can’t live without my to-do lists.
(This post probably contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.) The giveaway items were also sent to me to review.)
5 Reasons To Use a Planner to Organize Your Life
I’ve always loved “to-do” lists and use them in my professional and personal life. When Congress is in session there is so much going on around me that my list helps me feel grounded. Every day I list the tasks I need to finish and try to put them in order of importance. If I’m waiting for approval from someone or need to follow up on an email – I make note of that too. Every day before I leave work I update my to-do list to give me a head start the next day. This is especially after a weekend where I come back in and am trying to remember what the heck I was working on last Friday.
I also use lists at home. Every Friday night I list what I hope to accomplish that weekend. Usually, it reads like this: laundry, vacuum all floors, clean the bathroom, fix the needle on my sewing machine, (I’m probably making myself sound older here than I actually am), exercise, work on my blog. I don’t always finish everything, and that’s okay. Sometimes the extra chores I try to tackle Monday or Tuesday (we’ll see). And if I don’t get to them that week, well, they go to the top of the following weekend’s list.
Those Who Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail
Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, I use lists to make sure I am keeping up with my life goals, and accomplishing them. Many of us have seen the Post-It commercial of the girl trying out for the basketball team who keeps jumping towards her goals a little bit more each day. I watched that commercial about a dozen times before I heard the line, “When you write something down, you’re 42 percent more likely to make it happen.” Now, I can’t verify those claims but it sure sounded inspiring to me. And I know it to be pretty true with my goals: the ones I write down I work harder at accomplishing.
To help motivate you and make planning more fun, make sure to pick up a pretty planner you’ll want to use! I also use pretty washi tape, I just bought this bundle because it has lemons for me and unicorns for my nieces, and can be used to help separate things in your planner. Also, pretty gel pens go a long way in ensuring you want to keep track of your goals. 🙂
My life goals right now include learning more about God’s character (because I believe this is the answer to many of life’s questions), practicing hospitable, looking for opportunities to be more generous, and becoming a published writer. I keep these simply because I only write them down after much prayer and asking God whether I should keep praying over them or toss them out the window. Thankfully, these have remained on the list.
There are so many benefits to writing out our to-do lists or life goals. As I mentioned, for me it keeps me grounded but here are a few more reasons that you might also find helpful.
1. So you don’t forget your great idea or to do something.
How often do we have the best idea ever – the one that is going to make us millions – and then forget what it was two hours later when we finally get back to that thought. Or, how many appointments have you missed because you forgot to write it down and plumb forgot? Guilty as charged here. If you write something down you won’t forget to do it, or that great idea. If you feel like you might lose the piece of paper it’s written on, make a note on your phone and set a reminder.
2. Makes you accountable for the task.
Something powerful happens when we write things down, they become concrete in our minds. For me I think that little last will silently nag me until I finish it, and let tell you, that’s a great motivator. For some of you seeing your idea on paper will spur you to take action in a way you hadn’t thought about before.
3. Helps you prioritize what is important in your life, as well as schedule your day (or life!) to best accomplish your tasks.
When I don’t write things down I usually try to accomplish whatever is in front of my face, or, I find easiest at the moment. But when I make a list a number them by importance it forces me to rework my time to best address each item when it needs to be addressed. It’s like your own personal assistant built into a list.
4. Relieves stress.
Next time you can’t sleep try this: write down the tasks you have to complete. Or, write down what is stressing you out. Pray over each item giving to God, and turn over and try to sleep again. You will be so surprised at how well this small exercise works.
5. Let’s you track progress.
This is huge! I also like to do this with prayer requests. I can go back and remember how faithful God is in answering prayers. Although nowhere compared to God, going back and looking at what you’ve accomplished is a huge confidence booster.
No matter what you do – whether an engineer, stay-at-home mom, or communications director – you might want to consider creating a daily or even weekly “to-do” list too. Also, I can’t tell you how immensely satisfying it is to finish an item and cross it off that list.
What’s on your list this week?
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I could not agree with you more on this! It definitely is anxiety reducing just to see what you need to accomplish written down somewhere in a list.
Whenever my mind is running a million directions, my list grounds me again.
I love lists. I love the feeling of marking items off of them too, makes me feel accomplished. 🙂 Thanks for sharing these great organization ideas. I need to get more serious about making lists again.
Christina, I love physically crossing them off too 🙂
Great post! I’m a list maker, too!
I always feel so much for accomplished when I cross one thing off my to do list! It is so rewarding when you finish and everything you had to get done is crossed off!
It is a reward in itself for sure!
I adore to-do lists! Seriously they help me stay on track like nothing else!
Rachel | http://www.theconfusedmillennial.com
Lists are my thing. I get pleasure in marking off something when it is completed. Silly I know it encourages me to keep going.
I am completely the same way! I always have a little notebook with me and have a running list going on my iPhone. My list seems endless, as I just moved into a new house, but it definitely helps relieve my stress at the same time.
I always have a notebook with me too! haha
I can’t live without them either! You have such an interesting career! Sounds like fun.
It is definitely interesting. But I think lots of careers are interesting!
Yes! I’m totally a “To Do List” Person! I use one for work and a separate one for my blog every day. It helps keep me focused and makes sure I finish everything I need to each day!
I’m a list maker too! I’ve got a lot on my list this week, so I’m hoping for a productive week.
Whew I have a huge list this week myself!!
I love my daily to do list! I only write 3 things a day so I can get them done and dont feel overwhelmed.
That’s an excellent too actually!
A ToDoList is a must have. It really reduces my anxiety and helps me to focus. The second I write the task on my list I can forget about it and concentrate on what I am doing right now.
Very well put together comments, I couldn’t agree more.
Thank you Leanna!
There are an infinite list of things that I love about to-do lists!! I really need them for everything! 😀
Love this post, and definitely agree that writing things down helps in terms of accountability and forgetfulness that may or may not occur! 😉 Getting ready to make my to-do list for cleaning my house this week. 🙂
Yes! I also make one for cleaning my house. so handy.
I keep multiple to-do lists and planners because I can’t live without my to-do lists either – keeps me in check!
Yes yes yes to every single thing on your list! Any time I have a free moment I can’t think of a single thing I need to do even though I probably have 100 things I have been wanting/needing to do!
haha I know that feeling. That’s why lists save me!
I get totally lost and forget what I’m supposed to be doing without a list. Frustrating! My list, however, is probably too long 😉
On my to do list is to clean this office of mine! I really cant live without to do lists too. Having it written down is a great reminder and keeps me motivated.
Meghan | BeyondBasicBlog.com
Girl, I feel you. My to-do list is my lifeline and I couldn’t live without it.
xoxo, Jenny
You understand!! 🙂
I LOVE to do lists! I would be nowhere without mine … I find it really helps me destress and have more peace 🙂
Sam, absolutely. Who knew they could help with stress?
I make lists all the time. Seriously. I think I make 10+ lists a day. Even as a child I loved to-do lists!
I rely so much on my to-do lists! I love all of these points, especially #2! I just can’t ignore it when it goes on my to-do list 🙂
XO
Lee Anne
http://www.lifebylee.com
haha I know. They will nag me until I finish them!
I completely agree with you. I currently have two to-do lists going for the week – one for my job hunt (updating resumes, learning about new programs, finding applications, etc.) and one for my week (laundry, clean apartment, homework, practice, etc). I have a bullet journal too that I use for bigger lists like: books to read, movies to watch, blog posts to write, social media stats, etc. I am a HUGE list maker. It is so nice to see that someone else loves lists like I do. 🙂
Good luck on the job hunt, Lauren!
I have no idea what I’d do without a “to-do” list. I have three going at the moment for work, blogging and home “to-do’s” and it would be impossible to get through the week without them. Great post Sarah
Thank you, Michelle!
Lists are so important to me! I have one here as I type this, couldn’t live without them.
xx nicole
http://www.nicoleparise.com
Totally understand the leave on Friday, come back on Monday where did I leave off. Making a work list or any kind of list would help keep a person on track.
Yup, this is me too! I have a variety of lists and some have to be in paper form, but some are in an app. Loving the anylist app for grocery shopping, but have to have daily task lists in paper form. Kind of weird, but works for me!
I could not live without my grocery store app either, but also need my physical paper list. Helps me feel more accomplished!
I have a to do list, I just never remember to look at it. I do have a book in my purse to write things down that I love or ideas that may make a great blog post…but the to do list gets left by the wayside somehow…
I feel ya, my to do list is essential to a smooth day!
Great post! Although most of my work is digital, I still love my to-do list. I use my bullet journal for my daily to-do’s, goals and journaling. It helps to bring clarity, inspire and track all areas of my life!
I loved this post! I’m big on lists too, it helps to find focus and keep track of what you need to do! I definitely am gonna start doing weekly and monthly goals- great idea!
I live by lists. I use my bullet journal all the time. It’s so satisfying to cross something off of your list!
My favorite part is crossing things off!
I’ve always been a list-maker, and now so are my kids 🙂 I make at least a few different lists every day – for work, for the blog, for my clients, for each kid, for the soccer team that I coach, etc, etc. LOVE lists!!
To-do lists are my jam too! I couldn’t live without them!
I am all about making a list! I love the feeling of writing it down and being able to move onto something else. If I fight the need to write it down my day is often very hectic.
Even if I don’t get to everything on my list, knowing it’s there and I can come back to it just gives me more peace too.
I am SO with you on this! I live for to-do lists… There’s just something so satisfying about crossing things off the list as I complete them. I would be running around like a chicken with its head cut off if I didn’t have a list haha!
haha same! And yes, physically crossing things off that list IS so satisfying 🙂