Do the Lazy Person’s To-Do List With Just Three Sheets of Paper
I believe everyone has the ‘desire’ to make a daily to-do list to manage their daily life, but often find it to be a ‘pain’ in the intricacies and management that make the list seem more burdensome than helpful until it’s abandoned.
In this article, I will introduce a system suitable for lazy people who still want a simple and practical to-do list using just three sheets of paper.
How we used to write a to-do list
When we think of something that needs to be done, we have to do the following…
- Open the smartphone
- Swipe to open the app
- Wait for it to load a bit
- Press the add button
- Type what we want to do, along with setting the date and maybe tapping the calendar
- Oh, do we need to assign a category?
- And we have to set a time too, let’s check the calendar to see what time would work for us
There are so many little steps before the list is even made. Sometimes, taking the time to write a to-do list might be the only thing we actually accomplish that day.
Following the principle that if it takes only a few minutes, just do it!
The Lazy Person’s To-Do List
The system was inspired by the Kickstarter project called Analog, which suggests dividing the to-do list into three sheets of paper marking the items as…
- Today: tasks that needs to be done today
- Next: things are still undone but ready to move to today the next day
- Someday: things that aren’t due to be done soon.
With just paper and a pen, we can quickly jot these things down. Our mornings start with us listing what needs to be done today and moving the tasks from yesterday that were not completed. Throughout the day, if something new comes up, feel free to add it. If it’s not urgent, you can put it on the “Next” sheet. If it’s something you just think of and want to note down for future consideration, put it on the “Someday” sheet.
Personally, I use just long and narrow pieces of paper with a clipboard and pen attached, always ready to make a to-do list. The advantage of this system is that the pen and paper are always at hand, facilitating quick note-taking of thoughts. I find it more convenient than opening various apps.
Analog’s note-taking system, as illustrated in the images posted on the crowdfunding website, shows that the system is not complicated at all. If you’re not like me and would rather opt for a digital format than manual writing, you can do so as well. I’m sure everyone probably already has some type of sticky note programs already installed on their devices, so you can adapt this system to any apps of your choice. It’s easy and worth trying with zero additional spending.
In Analog’s original concept, there’s also the idea of marking tasks, for example, checking off to indicate completion, halfway means it’s in progress. However, I find this a bit cumbersome and prefer not to use it. If you find this intriguing and would like to learn more, you may explore from their crowdfunding page as linked above.
As you can see, this to-do list system is pretty easy and stress free. Another benefit I would like to point out is how the act of writing plays a significant part in connecting our body to the tasks. Most importantly, the satisfaction you get from completing a task feels absolutely wonderful.
For anyone wanting to organize their life and thoughts without strict regimentation, give this method a try.
For those who enjoy this article, don’t forget to follow Medium: KBTG Life. We have tons of great stories written by KBTG people in both English and Thai.
