Who doesn’t love a to-do list? A to-do list provides structure and keeps me focused on my essential tasks. When I don’t have a to-do list, I have no idea what to work on and often don’t get anything done. But the one thing I love about to-do lists is the satisfaction that comes with marking a task as completed. Ah, the simple pleasures. Not only have I made it a habit of having a to-do list but I make sure I do this before going to bed. I do this for two reasons.
One is I am a morning person which means I have more mental energy in the morning. I like to use this energy to complete my tasks rather than planning them. I love starting my day knowing exactly what I am going to be working on and can start work the moment I enter the office. Utilising my morning energy to complete tasks means I am more productive and get more done.
Secondly, it helps to reduce stress ensuring I have a relaxing evening and a good night’s sleep. Stress is reduced because I know what I have coming up the next day, and I don’t have to worry about remembering what I need to do as I have it listed on my to-do list.
Tips
Before I complete my to-do list, I check my calendar to ensure I plan my tasks around my appointments and meetings. This planning helps me to create a list that is realistic, as the more appointments and meetings I have, the fewer jobs I can do. I also prioritise my list, ensuring I work on tasks that will add the most value first. While I am to set a realistic to-do list, there are times when I don’t get everything done, but at least I work on the most critical items first.
If you are a morning person, I recommend completing your to-do list before bed to ensure you use your morning energy to complete your essential tasks.
This is blog two of my short blog series called Things I Organise Before Going to Bed. Keep an eye out tomorrow for blog number three in the series.
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