How do you keep yourself on track with your to-do list? Sometimes I continue adding to my list until it is almost too full….how do you limit your list?

I rank my to do list (A1, A2, A3, B1,B2,B3…etc.) A-list are “absolutely must do.” B- list are “great to have.” And C-list are “only if I have spare time today.”
I limit my ranking to 3 ranks per A/B/C list. Usually if Im lucky I get to B2. I usually can only complete about 3 big items before I’m too tired and just want to do nothing.

By making multiple lists and asking yourself: do I really need to do this today? Or is this for tomorrow list. And If I need to do all of this today, is this realistic by how much time it will take me to do it.

My rule is that if I write a to-do list, I complete the tasks on it. Psychologically this is good for motivating oneself as it gives a sense of accomplishment. It also helps to ensure that one keeps the habit over time. I would say; less is better. Try to limit your to-do list to those tasks that are essential to your daily life and nothing more. Personally I would love to do a million different things everyday but it’s just not possible most of the time. Besides, if you ensure you completed your list within the time you have allocated for the day, you may have time left over to complete the other tasks that you didn’t add to the list. Overall, minimise the list at first, you can always add more in the future when your productivity and time management skills improve.

I try to write down what is most important for each day .. and i make a page in my to do list that is endless 😄 .. for the less important or more of things i need to do but not necessarily today .. and i check it every now and then to pick any of them to do

I struggle with th this too. What I’m trying right now is to keep a master list electronically (google tasks for home, outlook task list for work). Then I use my paper lists to determine my top 3-5 priorities for the day. If something creeps onto my paper list during the day, I try to add it to the digital list. One thing I’m trying to do regularly is review the digital list to pull items over and make sure that I don’t miss any thing critical.

Break down your todo list to morning , afternoon and night session . Keep it simple and manager able. You want to honour what you write down. If think dont go as plan , ask why and make adjustments for your next session .

One, only put five things on the list, or get an actual lined memo book/to do list and don’t write more than what fits.

Two, include due dates. Don’t just write a to do list, but plan out WHEN you’re going to do it.

Three, have separate lists for today, this week, this month, and at some point. Be logical about when you’re over scheduling.

Four, let the list be long. Though it’s not as satisfying.

I keep a book on my desk and a pocket diary with daily pages. The larger book on my desk acts as a master list of all the things that I need to do, and I add to it first thing in the morning. Later, when I schedule my day using both the to do list and calendar, I add the tasks that I'm likely to be able to do to my pocket diary and try to get them done through the day. Any new tasks that come about, I simply add to the pocket diary just to make sure I don't forget. At the end of the day, I take stock of the todos in both my pocket and desk notebooks and consolidate. I highly recommend a dual diary setup for this – pocket and A5 sizes work well.

Unfortunately I usually keep and update an electronic “longer daily” ToDo List on my iPhone and then shorter “Priority” ToDo List still electronically on my iPhone… and then when I have to do my focused work, I have my small hand held spiral notebook 📒 that I write down the one or 2 tasks I am going to accomplish in the next 30minutes to 2 hours.

Unfortunately I don’t always have my small spiral notebook 📒 with me at all times (it’s large enough that I feel comfortable writing in it and small enough to fit in my coat pocket but barely- it still is big enough to be irritating in my pants pocket.

I know this not what the Fab app recommends… I’m still in the process of cementing down my routines and rituals and goals… I’m not yet 1 year in being a Fab Member… but i think I am getting close!

I am learning to prioritise. Great book on the subject: eat that frog! It’s difficult for me to keep the list down too, then sometimes I réalise things drop off the list because it’s too late. That must mean that they should never have been on the list in the first place, and goes to show I try to do too many things, rather than just those things that will make me happy. Good luck on working on this, I feel for you.

You must be honest with yourself about how motivated and energized you are each day. Remember that in addition to all of your tasks, you need to leave time to eat and take breaks. I suggest for you to have a future log/planner spread for every week. Every day add to your general tasks some of the tasks you need to get done that week, so that you won’t have days that are too full. Besides, try to plan your day while estimating how long each task is going to take. When you write down your schedule, you will be able to see if you have taken too many tasks.
Good luck!!!!!

I have the same problem! Learned from this app actually that I need to prioritize my top 3 pressing tasks as ABC. Letter A would be the most important task and I would do that one first, no matter what. Then B, then C. And then when those 3 things are finished, move to the next three items and label them from A-C and complete those tasks accordingly.

You have to stop and realize that you are gonna have other routines at other times of the day. You will never be able to do everything at once. It sounds like you are trying to plan your whole day not just start a morning routine. So my advice is to stop slow down and realize what you really want or need to do first thing before you go to work or whatever for the day when you have gotten that day in 3 months or so maybe add another routine in with a few more things you want and need to do when you get home. Just my thoughts. Hope it helps.

I think it is really hard because we are supposed to be so productive all the time and our lists are supposed to reflect that. Lists are like these huge tallies of out future accomplishments so we want to fill them up, imagining our future selves with all the medals hanging around our future necks. The reality is that nobody is handing out medals. Period. Not now, not ever. Lists are for us for our selves to know what to do right now and how much of it we got done. Being realistic about lists is being realistic about life and what you're doing today.

Focusing on 3 main goals helps me the most. It's easy to fall into a habit of more & more to do but never finishing the list, and that's not always a bad thing. But when it becomes a habit or you find yourself overwhelmed, try to think "If I only had time for 3 (or 2 or 1) of these things, what would I choose?" Get those things done first!

I might group them under a heading like “Telephone today” or “Urgent mails”.
If the list is too long I try to finish the top three first and then continue with the next three items. The secondary items become top priority next day.