I never knew the power of a piece of paper with check boxes would have on my life, but now I swear and live by my to-do list. There is something so comforting knowing that your day and what you have to do is mapped out in a nice, and organized, way. I have always been one to stay organized by using a planner, but when the pandemic started and things seemed way more out of my control, making to-do lists made sure I took care of everything.
I started making these lists when I hit a low during the beginning of the pandemic and had no clue how to organize all of the little things I needed to do. Having classes online and not always meeting synchronously really bothered me, and as someone who relishes seeing people face to face and getting direct reminders from my professors (not just going online and having to dig for due dates), I could not keep up with everything.
With that being said: a to-do list WILL help you stay organized in your life. There are so many things you can make a to-do list for. Whether it just be a daily one, or long term, having a to-do list is one of the main, and easiest, things to keep in order to become a more organized person. In times like these, where no one really knows what will happen next, having something to keep you structured makes everything feel a little easier.
Once you decide to make a to-do list, where do you start? Well, I always recommend putting the most important things at the top and working your way down to the least important. Also, there should never be a feeling of urgency to finish a to-do list all in one day. The beautiful thing about lists is that you can make another one the next day and add what you didn’t finish the day before to it. I constantly do that. At first I thought I had to do everything at once, but once I started perfecting the art of to-do list making, I realized that there are only 24 hours in a day and I am not a superhuman, so I always have to move things around to the next day.
Crossing things off as I go makes me feel very accomplished and productive throughout the day. Even if it’s just crossing off the fact that I did laundry, I already feel 100 times better. Especially since I live off-campus and have to take on more responsibilities like cooking dinner or vacuuming, a to-do list has helped me keep everything on track. Even having multiple to-do lists like one for chores, one for schoolwork, etc will make your life feel so organized, and is something I have religiously adopted.
By being organized and crossing things off my list throughout the day, I have been able to be more productive, and with that productivity I get more time in my day for leisure and taking care of myself. In a time where nothing is certain, it’s the little things that bring some normalcy and satisfaction into day to day life. Having something to look at throughout the day to make sure you’re keeping up with everything is something that genuinely has changed my routine and the way I handle stressful weeks. Now, I can check off writing a HER Campus article off of my list!