To-Do lists Support Human Doing
“The only way a dream comes true, is not when you dream, but when you do.”
— Meloney Hudson
I wrote the above motto decades ago and is one I live by.
Sure, some say, “we’re human beings, not human doings.” And I agree that it’s essential to take time to just “be.”
Yet doing is a vital aspect of our human nature. Even the most ardent “Be-ers” must “do” to survive.
Doing helps us not just survive, but thrive and actualize our life purpose. Doing helps us to live our fullest lives and facilitates our personal development and spiritual evolution.
I’m proud to be a Human Doing! I honor this aspect of my humanness and I’ve learned how to focus this drive to get the most out of living on the planet.
A tool that has helped me to become an expert Doer is the To-Do List.
To-Do Lists help us take steps toward our goals, dreams, and visions. They minimize the overwhelm and reduce the stress of large projects or visions by chunking them down into bitesize and easily-doable pieces. Crossing off one completed item at a time, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, moves us closer to our grandest objectives. To-Do Lists act as at-a-glance coaches that remind us to attend to our goals and celebrate our productivity.
I recommend anyone who embraces their Human Doingness to incorporate To-Do Lists into their lives.
Following are a few tips to help you create and implement To-Do Lists for enhanced productivity and realization of your dreams and goals.
Paper is paramount
I know, I know, we all love our phones. But the Notes app on our phone isn’t efficient for list-making. We forget what we wrote and we forget to look. They’re small and hard to update. They’re difficult to organize.
A tangible, in-your-face paper list is the best option because it’s constantly accessible and easier to update and organize. Lists may be hand-written or typed and printed. 8 ½” x 11” size paper is ideal, though any dimensions will do.
Date your list
The date at the top of the list helps track time and progress. It helps motivates action and helps us hit our goals because time does fly!
Categorize items
Here’s the real secret sauce. Our lives are dynamic and most of us attend to more than one thing at a time. Thus, one long string of items isn’t efficient. Instead, create a category for each project, area of focus, or futuristic plan. Then list the items that pertain to each category. Categories will help us be aware, organized, and attentive to each aspect of our life throughout the day. More gets done and fewer things fall through the cracks.
Here’s a simple example of To-Do List with categories and items:
Newsletter Project
Write intro article
Find images
Collect announcement
Layout in Mailchimp
Retreat Vacation
Research various kinds of retreats
Research dates & costs
Start saving money
You get the idea. Download a simple To-Do List template - click here.
Keep it handy
Place your list next to your computer, tape it to the wall by your calendar, or stash it in your appointment book for easy and frequent reference. Easy access allows you to quickly see and address items when you have a few extra moments. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish in a short period of time. And you’ll feel good about not wasting time.
Update your lists regularly
Continually, throughout the day and week, cross off completed tasks and write in new items. When a page becomes overloaded with old and new tasks, it’s time to create a new, clean list. Not-yet-done items from your old list are transferred to this fresh document. Newer categories and items can be added. Draft new lists as regularly as needed.
Another option is to draft a Master Index of larger projects and long-term goals, and a separate, smaller list of To Dos, such as errands, emails, and calls. The Master Index is updated every few weeks or months, while the smaller list can be updated daily or weekly.
Get high from checking off items
Great joy can come from gazing at a page of checked-off, completed items. And seeing on paper that a major goal has been accomplished inspires euphoria! Our self-esteem can soar from seeing what is accomplished in a day or week. To- Do Listing is a positive habit that’s motivating, energizing, and supportive of our mental health and well-being.
Know you’ll probably never check off everything
Sometimes we have lofty ideas when we write our lists. We have the greatest of intentions. But, as beings who evolve, change, and redirect our attention regularly, some items may become obsolete or just become unimportant. It’s all OK! NOT checking off everything can be a sign of our evolution, not our failure. So embrace the idea that some items will live forever.
If you want your dreams to come true, To-Do Lists will help. So start your list today and do what you’re on the planet to do! Become an expert at Human Doing!