To-do lists don’t work for me. Here’s why
During my university career, especially in the beginning, I tried a lot of new methods to study effectively, reach a state of deep focus, and maintain that as long as possible.
I spent hours and hours researching and experimenting with the best ways to acquire and master the different subjects I was first approaching.
The process of learning a new language has a whole different structure than the one needed to study a theory from a book, for example.
Furthermore, methods you find online or suggested by a friend will not necessarily be successful for you.
One thing I know FOR SURE does not work for me is making to-do lists. I don’t feel like creating one can be efficient in any way. But obviously, this is just for me. Because I am literally surrounded by people who make to-do lists for every field of life.
So, I started to think about this. I wanted to figure out why it was not working for me.
Now I have the answer…
It tells me WHAT I have to do, but not WHEN I have to do it.
If I haven’t had the willingness to do some (or all) of the things written down, I would just procrastinate and do something else, and the worst part is that I wouldn’t even feel bad for it because I hadn’t priorly blocked a specific time for doing those things.
It’s all about this, I am sure. Maybe it doesn’t seem like it, but I assure you it’s simple and quite important at the same time, because each one of us is a procrastinator. Don’t hide, we all here have the same problems.
So, now I make to-do lists, BUT…
I split every day into 3 parts. (Actually it’s a bit deeper than this, if you want I will explain the thinking process that led me to this particular structure, let me know in the comments!)
Morning — Afternoon — Evening
Roughly, mornings are from 8 a.m. to 12; afternoons are from 12 to 18; and evenings are from 18 to 22 or so.
This allows me to make 3 to-do lists a day. And, as a result, to set goals that I need to accomplish in a relatively short amount of time.
Let’s take for example that one morning I don’t feel like doing the things listed out. I know that I can put them in the order I want to, but in the end, I have time to accomplish them until lunchtime because after that I have other things scheduled.
This definitely helped me be more efficient and I hope it will help you too!
Let me know if you want me to further explain this concept!
With warm respect,
Rossella
