Organisation is one of the most important foundations for success, and for many people, being organised – and staying organised – means having a never ending to-do list that keeps them on track. And for a lot of people, this approach works really well.
But not for me.
As someone with ADHD, the sight of a massive to-do list doesn’t motivate; it doesn’t inspire; it doesn’t light a fire; it doesn’t keep me on track. Instead, it acts as a single representation of everything that I’m currently worried about. So it’s not surprising that I try to avoid lengthy to-do lists like the plague. And I know many of you feel the same.
However, to-do lists can be beneficial. They can help us to prioritise, they reduce the risk of important tasks being overlooked, and they guide us from one activity to another – something that, for those of us with ADHD, can work to prevent unnecessary task switching. The secret is to create a to-do list that’s manageable and achievable.
Here are some top tips that have worked for me:
1. Separate Your To-Do Lists
The primary problem with the to-do list lies in its name; it’s a single list of all the things you need to do. But could the phrase ‘to-do LISTS’ actually be better? One of the best ways to keep your to-do list manageable is to separate it into two distinct documents: an ‘everything’ list, which is added to over time, and a daily list which is created fresh each morning. This technique can help you remain focused on the here and now, rather than trying to force your brain to navigate everything all at once. ForbesWomen contributor Bianca Barratt recommends having no more than 5 tasks on your daily to-do list.
2. Use ‘Chunking’
‘Chunking’ is a term used to describe the act of breaking large tasks down into bite size chunks, and it can be essential for helping to keep your to-do list more manageable. Imagine you see ‘write presentation for investors’ on your to-do list. It’s a huge task, it’s overwhelming, and it’s likely to deter you from even giving it a go. Now imagine you see ‘write draft for introduction of investor presentation’. It may not cover quite the same degree of production, but it does provide a manageable starting point that can pave the way for further input. Breaking down tasks helps you take one step at a time.
3. Consider Time
It’s important to remember that to-do lists aren’t only unmanageable if they’re long, but also if they take too long to complete. When we create to-do lists, we typically look only at what needs to be done, rather than how long each task will take. This means that it can be very easy to fill a daily to-do list list with 5 tasks that each take 2 hours to complete. That’s 10 hours straight on tasks. It’s unmanageable. When creating a to-do list, it’s vital to consider time, combining both long and short activities and making sure that it’s possible to get everything done. Don’t set yourself up for failure at the very start.
