If you're anything like me, you have to write everything down. If it isn't written down, it will likely be forgotten almost instantly. For as long as I can remember, I have been a list maker. Whether it be a grocery list, pro/con list, check list for different tasks, or the almighty and powerful to-do list. These lists help keep me sane, as they provide the order and efficiency that I desperately crave. I think I inherited the obsessive list making from my mom... she takes making a grocery list to the next level. All of the items listed are filtered by the aisle in which they can be found in the store. Efficiency at it's best! Today, I'm going to focus on the to-do list and maximizing it's functionality and efficiency.

For the longest time... and we are talking years here... I always kept a running to-do list on a piece of paper and just crossed things off as they were accomplished. Sometimes, I would even write down a task that was already completed and cross it off right away just because it felt good! :) This was a good system until the list would become so long that I was overwhelmed just looking at it. I would try to prioritize the list by putting the most important tasks at the top... until it seemed like everything was important! Then, I would try writing the due date next to the task so I could overlook it if it wasn't due for a while. Good idea; however, it was a little hard to overlook when it was staring me in the face everyday! After a while, the thing that was supposed to lower my stress level would quickly escalate it... something had to change.

Then I re-discovered my long forgotten Post-It calendar. If you know me, then you likely know my obsession with Post-It notes. Love them. Any size, color, shape. I use them all the time. I saw this beauty at Target a couple of years ago and HAD to have it! :)

Behold the glory. This is any office supply, organized-obsessed person's dream, right?! The problem is, I bought it and then had no idea how I would go about using it. So it was stored in my classroom closets for about three years. As I was thinking about changing how I write my to-do list, I was thinking about how I could prioritize the items better. I went through quite a few ideas before finally settling on creating a daily list. This calendar instantly came to mind! See an example of how I utilized it below!

I wrote each task on a Post-It and then assigned it to the day on which it needed to be completed. If it wasn't due for the next week, or even a couple of weeks, I would simply flip ahead and put it there. After a task was finished, I took the note off and threw it in the trash... so satisfying! The best thing I found with this system was that it significantly reduced my stress level. As things would come up, I would write it down and post it where it needed to be, then I didn't have to worry about forgetting to get something done. I was only seeing the current week's tasks, so I wasn't stressing about everything else that wasn't a priority at the time. I loved this system! When this school year started, I wanted to continue a similar system; however, I wanted to make it even more efficient. I knew that my calendar would eventually run out, and I didn't want to have to keep purchasing them.

So... I looked into apps for to-do lists. I could add something to it if it would come up in a meeting or a training and know that I wouldn't have to worry about remembering to do so when I got back to my classroom. There were a couple of things I knew I wanted out of the app:

I wanted to have a daily view.
I wanted to have the capability to assign a due date to the task.
I wanted something I could also access on my computer.

I found quite a few apps that had all three requirements and tried out many of them. I finally settled on TickTick. The app has offered all that my Post-It calendar did in an electronic format... and I have loved it so far! See the photos below for some of the features.

As you can see in the first image, you have the ability to view all tasks at one time. Each task also shows the date on which it is due. The second image shows the weekly view, each task separated by the day. The last image shows one of my favorite features. You have the ability to create a checklist or a note within a task. This is so helpful if there are specific things that need to be done. Many of these things don't warrant a new task, as they pertain to a specific task. I also love that I can add to the list from my phone, iPad, or computer!

One piece of advice I would give anyone when looking into making his/her lists more efficient would be to look at the way he/she is doing it currently and analyze if it is helping or becoming more of a burden. If it is helpful, that is awesome and exactly the point! If it is a burden, look at why it is and figure out how to make it better! Changing the way I write my to-do list has drastically improved my stress level and the efficiency with which I complete tasks!