To-do lists work, but are they optimal to their core essence of helping you get things done?
After trying Things, Evernote, Wunderlist, the checkbox feature of notes apps such as Bear and Apple notes, my fridge, and a few others, I think they all underestimate a key ingredient when it comes to getting things done: time (my fridge is missing a lot of key ingredients at the moment).
Although most of these services have deadline- and reminder-based features, when I mention time, I don’t mean being reminded to do something. That reminder can easily be ignored.
Rather, I believe a more viable solution has to do with how XYZ task fits in with your existing time allocations.
Drum roll please….
💡: a calendar.
The problem is to-do lists are not transient in nature. They can exist in perpetuity, without the notion of missing out on getting XYZ done. The cost of delaying or pushing back a task is an inexpensive one. The solution I offer does not address all deficiencies, but it has improved the way I approach my time and subsequently manage expectations around getting things done. The solution I offer is: Rather than jotting down a task on a piece of paper or in an app, put it on your calendar. Color-code your cal so that you can quickly identify the context of your obligations.
Try this Experiment:
For one day, ditch the to-do list and experiment with making your calendar look like a game of Tetris.
If you give it a try, afterwards feel free to invite me to a game of Tetris. You can find me on Twitter @Rizk_Taker.
