Save time with recurring to do lists
Managing to do lists is often a straight-up anxiety trigger for folks. What tool should I use? How do I keep it updated? How can I manage recurring tasks? How do I track what I’ve finished?
This mental gymnastics creates a meta task: keeping track of all the tasks. And if you're trying to keep these tasks in your head, written on the back of your hand, jotted in iPhone reminders, or on scraps of paper by your desk, it's soaking up energy you could be spending on things that bring you joy—like resting.
One of the ways I've kept my brain from turning to absolute mush over years of managing major initiatives at work, training for trail races, and tackling home projects is taking the time to build automated, recurring to do lists. These lists help me ensure that the mechanics of what I need to do to stay on top of my personal and professional lives will be right in front of me. And they also help me build new habits, by reminding me to do the things that help me become the person I aspire to be.
Here are examples of recurring lists I use to track personal and professional responsibilities and also a recurring shopping list to help make sure I have all the standard stuff on hand.
Here's how I use recurring to do lists:
Each Friday towards the end of the day, I start a fresh list for the following week for my personal and professional lists. I start from the template, so recurring tasks are already queued up for me.
I add items leftover from the current week, and then review my list of priorities to add items I need to attend to and push forward.
I also review my schedule for the following week to add any time-sensitive items like prepping for meetings, scheduling travel time, etc.
For folks who love Notion as much as I do, here's how I automate and track my to do lists in Notion.
How recurring to do lists can help you understand how you're using time
Beyond helping you build habits and stay on top of details, building yourself recurring to do lists also helps you understand long term how you're using your time by visualizing the responsibilities on your plate on an ongoing basis. If you notice you barely get beyond your recurring tasks at work, that's a great way to set up a conversation with your manager around if those are the best ways for you to spend your time.
Or if your personal time is clogged up with chores, maybe there are things you'd like to ask for help with, put on hold, delegate to another family member, or find other ways to solve? Or maybe you just have too many commitments, and it's time to say no to something.
The process of customizing your to do list for each week can also help you identify weeks that might be harder than usual, so you know when it's time to forgive yourself if you order takeout 5 nights in a row—or plan ahead by stocking the freezer, asking a friend to walk your dog, or postponing meetings, social commitments, or projects that aren't time sensitive.
The goal of all of these suggestions is for you to find a sense of confidence that "future you" will know what you need to do, when the time comes—so that today's you can rest, relax, find creative space, and be with the folks you love.
