How to Create the Simplest, Best To-Do List Ever
I love to-do lists and have tried many different kinds, but this is the very best one. Thanks, Selene Santiago, for teaching it to me! Here’s how it works:
Separate your to-do list into these categories:
- TODAY
- THIS WEEK
- HORIZON
Use an ACTION word at the start of each item so you know what action you need to take. Examples:
- EMAIL Selene
- WRITE research paper outline
- CALL Ms. Phillips to request letter of recommendation
That’s it. Simple, huh? Here are a few simple tips:
- Clear the “today” list each day. There’s no better feeling than getting every thing on your “Today” list done. To this end...
- Be realistic about what you can get done in a day. There’s nothing worse than getting a LOT of stuff done in a day and still having ten things on the list. If you think you can’t get everything in your “Today” list done, move it down into the “This Week” list.
- If you’re worried about spending too much time on something, set a time goal. Example: WRITE research paper outline (1 hr.) Usually I give myself a little less time than I think it’ll actually take me, so I work faster. It becomes a game.
There you have it. The easiest and most effective to-do list ever. Now let's go get some stuff done!
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Written by Ethan Sawyer – In addition to being the College Essay Guy, Ethan is a writer, teacher, speaker, and voice actor. He has worked at Elite since 2003 is also the coordinator for the Elite Community Scholars Program, a program very close to his heart. You can email him at ethan.sawyer@eliteprep.com. The views expressed in this blog post are Ethan's and don't necessarily reflect those of Elite Educational Institute.