The benefits and value of a simple to-do list

Intro

Something that I’ve struggled with alot is chronic procrastination.

I’ve known exactly what I should be doing in whatever area of life, it’s just that I could never pull the trigger and actually get started.

Or embrace the grind when things get tough and there’s resistance.

Something that radically changed my productivity was something as simple as starting daily to-do lists.

The previous evening I’d sit down for 5-10 minutes and plan out the next day.

What’s the point

There’s something about a writing out a physical to-do list that makes the chances of you completing tasks set on it much more likely.

For me it almost feels like a contract that I’m signing with myself to get those particular things done.

It could be that you’ve somewhat already mentally prepared for it the night before when you made the list. Or it could be that because the list is physically it front of you and tangible, there’s no escaping it like a list on your phone that can be hidden away or deleted, or even worse – just saying to yourself you’ll do something and then relying on your sheer underdeveloped willpower to get it done… yeah we all know how that works out…

The list is sitting in front of you all day for you to look at and the tasks waiting to be checked off as complete.

At the end of the day if you’ve done everything on the list, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment which will help towards building a healthy self-esteem.

What should be on the to-do list

Anything can be added to the list. I’d recommend that you add tasks relevant to the area of life that you are currently trying to work on and improve.

For example if you’re trying to get into shape, add the gym. Or if you’re trying to lose weight add a 30 minute walk. Fat loss guide here.

If you’re a guy trying to meet women, set a certain number of new women to speak to and hit on each day.

If you’re trying to work on a creative project, write down a reasonable amount of time that you’ll spend dedicated to doing that task. It could be 10 minutes, it could be 3 hours. Any amount of time is fine, you can always increase it over time.

If you’re trying to build a habit of meditation, reading or cold showers that can be added too.

Remember that anything is better than nothing and will all snowball and help to build momentum.

Turn it into a game

I’ve always been a fan of video games, and something that helped me be consistent with adhereing to my to-do list was turning it into a game.

I have a rewards system for myself for completing various tasks on my list.

I’d give myself the reward only after everything on the list was done.

This is a good carrot on a stick system and will further improve the likelyhood that you adhere to your written to-do list, and get the tasks done.

Such rewards could be watching a movie or a couple of episodes of a series, playing some video games or a certain food that you enjoy.

Who could benefit from this

I think anyone that isn’t already using to-do lists and who wants to build a solid foundation of productivity can benefit greatly.

If you’re in the process trying to a cut out bad habits and trying to start implementing new ones, then this is a great way to aid in that process.

Check out my post on the dopamine detox here for all you need to know about dopamine and it’s role in motivation, productivity and drive.