How do you keep your to-do list from getting too long?

Meghan P.
3 is my Magic number And then I add 7 more items to support the 3, so actually 10+ 1 which is meditation and zoning out time
Peggy F.
I only put something is achievable in my to-do list. Do not plan something beyond your ability and capability, so that you wouldn’t be stuck by that for too long. On top of that, you’ll feel satisfy and more hunger for getting stuff done thus boosting your productivity of the day!
Jackie J.
I only do what i know i must do today. Prioritize the most important task and if i have time and energy do some of the ones i have tomorrow.
Alyssia Z.
I analyze each thing I have to do and prioritize. I also don’t make my list with to much detail, instead I make the things I have to do somewhat vague and if needed I will make subcategories.
Rafael S.
It takes time. You learn to prioritize and you learn what you need to do and how long it takes. You also figure out how to decide what to remove from your list
Jacinta Q.
That is a big challenge and I’m not always successful. I create a big running to do list, but pick a few things off the big list for each day’s smaller list. I try to balance the list between regular tasks, relationships, reaching activities and rejuvenation. Good luck!
Patricia X.
Well, as a bullet journaler, I find planning everything to be necessary. If your to-do list gets too long, maybe condense certain things into categories. For instance, if your to-dos consist of wash laundry, dry laundry, fold laundry, and put away laundry, you might want to place all of those into one bullet point – wash and fold laundry. Or even just Laundry. You can indicate just be that one word to see what you have to do.
If that doesn’t work, maybe you can spot habits that don’t need to be on your to-do list: like brushing your teeth. If you already do something like that daily, you can sharpen your to-do list even more.
If none of my options work, my advice is to just write/type everything you have to do and get it done. More tasks means more to do.
Happy planning,
Anonymous user✌️
Z Ica P.
By Experience, I try not to do more than 9 items on my list. 3 each for each third of the day. I try not to include normal activities which are the norm and I deliberately reduce normal activities by outsourcing or getting someone to deal them. I believe in deliberate pruning of the list
Jerome E.
Having a long list is totally fine. I just separate long-term to-do lists from short-term to-do list. So I make a list every morning of tasks that have to get done today. I also have a long-term list of tasks that aren’t urgent and that I can do at another day.
Jonah C.
Breaking my to do list up by level of time commitment really helps. The inner AD in me also organizes each task according to the typical time I have throughout the day to have ten minutes to call someone or send and email or more importantly, meditate.
Daisy F.
I’ll List the top 3 or 4 big things I need to do the next day including what I’m going to do for exercise in the morning and what I’m cooking for dinner and if I need to buy anything for it ~ also I’ll write notes on the previous page for the that day about what I did and didn’t do and what was good about the things on the list
Ingried J.
I keep it simple, focus on the main things I need to do and then i focus on things I want to do. But prioritizing is key so you dont end up having a bunch of things to do in such little time.
Andre T.
I used to make way too long to do lists, and usually I managed to keep up with them for three months, but afterwards broke down.

Now, I try to both judge how long a task will take me, and which ones have priority. Be strict: completing your to do list should be manageable on ‘meh’ days.