how to manage an overwhelming to do list | SIMA

The first item on my “To Do” list? Create a better “To Do” list.

My “To Do” list is expansive. It ranges from “paint my bedroom” to “water the lawn.” Most of the times, it’s unruly. It overwhelms me.

I have several lists started on various pieces of paper and in multiple notebooks. What I need to do is consolidate them and keep a running “To Do” list.

There a couple of things that make it hard for me to come up with my perfect system. To start, my action items fall under different categories, i.e. business, personal, blog ideas, chores. Do I manage them in separate lists or one massive list? Also, some are time sensitive (“mail check to mother-in-law”) while some are more involved (“hang art in living room” means first I need to BUY art for living room).

Some people keep their “To Do” lists on their computer. That wouldn’t work for me because at any given time I could be using 1 of 3 computers. Others use the “To Do” app on their Blackberry/iPhone/Droid. I’m afraid I would forget to check it; plus, I remember things better when I physically write them down. Which leaves me with the paper option, but as I explained above, my current paper system does not seem to be working for me.

How do you manage your “To Do” list and prevent it from becoming an overgrown mess that threatens your sanity?

1. source 2. source 3. source 4. source 5. source