Is Your To-Do List Complete?
How to accomplish all the tasks on your to-do list successfully?
Since I was a small kid, I used to spend my time creating schedules in my mind. I didn't write my schedules or timetable in the book, but for me, my mind is my best journal to refer back to. Usually, I always structure my schedule while travelling on a bus or car, taking a shower, or in a time when I am alone in my room.
First of all, why do I create my to-do list in my mind? It is because, sometimes, there are some schedules that I expected to do need more time, thus I need to adjust the timing and give more time for the tasks that I need to accomplish as soon as possible. Or, sometimes my parents need some help or wish to spend some time with me and I will adjust the time accordingly. But, as long as I can stick with the plan and accomplish the tasks successfully, my to-do list checkboxes are complete. But how to accomplish all the tasks successfully that are listed in your to-do list?
1. Discipline is the key
No matter whether you jot down the planned tasks in a notebook or construct the schedule in your mind, first and foremost, you need a great amount of discipline. Yes! Discipline is the driving force for us to accomplish all the tasks in a day. When we fix our minds doing a task, procrastination and distraction will halt us from moving forward. Discipline serves as armour for us to combat these negative thoughts and we won’t be anxious about not completing our works at the end of the day.
2. Try to avoid toxic people as much as you can
This is based on my experience. After completing my undergraduate degree, I started my postgraduate study at the same university and joined as a research scholar. As a researcher, I was assigned to work in a laboratory with other researchers from different backgrounds. Though my works do not involve any experiments and only focus on programming and deriving equations, I had to do it in the laboratory as it has high-performance workstations. The laboratory is divided into cubicles.
When I was there, there were few researchers who made friends with me. For the first few months, they seemed good and helpful. Unfortunately, after a few months, I realized I fell into a trap. I didn't realize I was surrounded by a few toxic people. My schedule got disrupted. It is because I forced myself to say yes to everything these toxic people did as I didn't want to disturb the “harmonious” work environment. For example, when I followed them for lunch, they would take lots of time for chatting and my work would be disturbed. Secondly, they would chat and gossip in the laboratory for no reason and the noises would make me more anxious and I couldn't focus much on my work.
Finally, my to-do list wouldn't be complete and ended up depressed and anxious. However, once lockdown started, I could do my work very smoothly and all of my tasks were accomplished very fast as work from home is implemented (fortunately till now). So, this is an impact of toxic friendships. If you find yourself trapped in a toxic friendship, the first thing that you have to do is to walk away. Of course, guilt and self-blame would stop us from walking away, but think of the negative impact they may result if you stick with them. This is greatly explained by Sujona Chatterjee in her wonderful article. Check out her link below.
Or at least, learn to say no when someone asks you for something irrelevant. We don't have to be nice to everyone, but we have to be true to ourselves. If you want to learn the way to say no without saying no, check out an amazing article by Diana C.
Remember, YOUR tasks need to be completed, not another person’s task. You are the one who is responsible for your task. So, before you please anyone else, give some importance to your schedules and tasks.
3. Share your to-do list with someone you are close with
When you share your schedule with someone you are close with, you will try to accomplish it as soon as possible. According to James Clear in his book, Atomic Habit:
Knowing that someone else is watching you can be a powerful motivator. — James Clear
I always share my to-do list with my mother in the morning when we have our breakfast and I would often say that she is my journal and diary. In case if I felt demotivated, she would motivate and encourage me to accomplish the tasks. This is not a compulsory tip, but it’s a bonus for you to complete your to-do list.
Therefore, it is a great habit to create a to-do list, but the most important point is to follow them with dedication and determination. Hope my tips are helpful and do check out my friends’ works as well (the link shared above) to learn more on how to walk away from toxic people and how to say no. Trust me, these tips are important for you to move forward with least struggle because the environment and people surrounding us are the most important factor for us to grow. I wished I could know these earlier. But, nothing is too late.
Thank you, Sahil Patel for the amazing prompt on the to-do list.
Since Malaysia is not eligible for the MPP program, you can buy me a delicious coffee here if you love my work. Your support is really appreciated. Thank you for reading!
