Do you juggle a paper and digital to do list? I have a HUGE to do list on my phone, with about a dozen categories and then a much shorter list on paper that I still often end up carrying things forward from each day. How can I juggle the paper and the digital?

I keep my to-do list on paper and limit it to top items and they achievable in 3 hours or less. On my phone I keep a list of to-do items though I find that they require much bigger time blocks and break them down into 3 hour portions max. When they move to the top of the pick 3 for the day, I am already prepared. I break my list on into 3 items and do one in the morning, the next in the afternoon and last one in the evening. Should I get distracted and can’t complete the 3rd item, I don’t knock myself for carrying over an item to the next day because I believe that what I had to do instead was much important otherwise the first item on my to-do list would be not be a carry forward item. The idea of a to-do list is to help you focus on the most important thing for you. Rambling to-do lists are just would like to see done not need to be done today.

I really think you should just find the things you really need to do and then maybe do the other things when you accomplished that.

Well I don’t have a digital to do list, but I do abe multiple. I have my big whiteboard one and my plans notebook, which are kinda like my master lists - I know what I’m doing each day because I take tasks off those lists and put them onto my shorter daily to do list. And yeah I still carry things forward all that time - I think because of a combination of me overestimating how much I can do and me not doing as much as I possibly could.

I’m also dealing with this isssue right now. I have an app where I add every possible to do I can think of into lists of different projects. So I know that’s the place I need to go to when some new to do pops up in my brain. But it can also be the starting point to review what I want to do this day, and then I could write a to do list on paper, if the physical form helps! It also works the other way around, if I’ve made a paper list and things haven’t gotten finished, I’ll add them in my phone app!

I do end up putting to-do items on my phone because it’s virtually impossible to have paper with me at all times and I know if I don’t get things down right away I’m going to forget them. But I treat my paper to-do list is as my primary list, only because Fabulous (or Amber, the original name that I had in my head as a spokesperson for the app) said once that physically writing the to-do list was preferable. Once a day (usually in the morning) I start a new page, write down my three most important to-do items for that day, and then write underneath those any other still pending items I still haven’t gotten done yet (within reason. If the list is really long, I just pick the ones that I would most like to get done). I always have items that carry over from day to day; I have accepted that fact. Occasionally something does not get done. Most important (to me) things do eventually. Getting things done a bit faster (more efficiently) is a personal goal I’m working on, but I’m assuming the success at it will have to do with remember to try and not with beating myself up when I fail.

I am having a tough time with this myself. I’m working on it. I think I need to cut down my lists on my phone. One trick I have occasionally found useful is to use emojis, pic art 🖼, & abbrev rather than typing full words. I also try to categorize but mainly by trying to stick an to ABC system. Also I try to categorize only to a ToDo List and Top 3 Priorities rather than separate “Work” and Family” To Do Lists. I keep a separate electronic Groceries List and an electronic web based calendar that syncs with my phone and email. I need to use my small portable spiral notebook 📒 and pen more often. I definitely use it day to day when I really need to clear my mind, block distractions, & get focused work accomplished.

Yes I have both a paper and a digital todo list. I also have a paper and digital calendar. I make effort in the evening to check off accomplishes things and add more. In the morning I transfer them on the calendar. In the middle of the day I check both the todo lists and calendar, to remember what is left to be done and to add more.

I don’t currently have a digital and paper to do list, but I do have several different paper to do lists in different planners for different things! I try to coordinate them all at least once a week, and then refresh every morning. I put the things that I need to do that day or week in my main planner, and then use that for the rest of the week, and add to it there. This repeats, and so the next time I review I’ll move more to my main planner, and I might add some to dos in my longer term planners that I know I don’t need to do for a couple of weeks. I think it is important to have one main to do list/place for to do lists, and then you just coordinate with the other bits weekly or maybe twice a week!

I would combine the two and not overwhelm yourself, if you have to take some tasks off that day it’s OK! put them on another day with not as many tasks, shorten your tasks times if that’s helps too

Rather than a digital to do list, have you considered putting recurring tasks like "oil change" and "pay credit card bill" on your digital calendar? I look at my calendar on Sunday, write seven separate daily to do lists (it batches small tasks together and it also allows me to plan for what days work best for running which errands), and then each day I just use the paper to do list and glance at my daily calendar for any last minute changes to my schedule. A full blown digital to-do list has overwhelmed me in the past; it is so long I end up not doing any of it. A daily written to do list gives me a short manageable list; I am motivated to get most of it done so it doesnt carry over to tomorrow; and I write my end of day review on the back at the end of the day. Whatever didnt get done goes on the next day’s list. Remember with digital lists that the purpose of the list is not to make a list, it is to accomplish the tasks, so only tasks you can reasonably commit to accomplishing should go there. The rest should go on a goals list, and then you put 30 minutes in your week to review your goals to see what you can actually start committing to doing. I hope this helps!