4 Signs You Need a New Way to Manage Your To-Do List

​With the new school year comes an opportunity to play around with organization systems.

Personally, that was always something I looked forward to when I was a student. One year I would have one big binder. Another year I would give each class its own binder. Another year I would give each class a composition notebook and a folder.

Coming up with a system of organizing my materials felt like breathing fresh air into the new school year. It was sort of like how it feels when you rearrange the furniture in a room. The room still serves the same basic function, but it feels different.

​You've probably already gone to the store to get your binders, notebooks, pens, and pencils, but that doesn't mean it's too late if you are wanting to up-level your organization game! 

​One easy and important aspect to consider is how you are keeping track of your to-do lists.

Everyone has some sort of system, even if that system is "remember everything in my head."

When an organizational system is at its best, it works for you way more than you work for it. A three minute investment of time in your task-management system can save you 20 minutes (or more) in a day, not to mention free you of stress, distraction, overwhelm, worry, and snafus.

Today's video is about four signs that it might be time for you to look into refreshing your task management system. This might sound like a dry topic... but I love the feelings of confidence and clarity that a good task-management system give me, so to me it is super fun.
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Let me know what you think in the comments below or reach out to me here. I'd love to hear what the video has you thinking of your current system: What aspects of your current system are or are not working? Why do you think something works or doesn't work? What questions do you have—how can I help?

As someone who has been known to drool over a well-executed bullet journal, I'm excited to hear your feedback!!!

If you like the video, please click over to YouTube where you can "Like" it and subscribe to my channel.

And check out the space below the video for a fifth sign you need a new way to manage your to-do list and a suggestion for one way to reorganize your to-do list system!

After filming this video, I thought of another way you can tell if you need a new way to manage your to-do list:

Every time you look at your to-do list, you feel overwhelmed.

The problem is likely that your to-do list is ever-growing instead of stratified by priorities.

Perhaps consider organizing your to-do list into "wouldn't it be nice if" to-dos (the things that you have no intention of taking action on in the near future), long-term to-dos (things that you can chip away at when time allows but don't have an immediate need for completion), short-term to-dos (things that you want to find time to do within the week), and daily to-dos (things you will complete today).

Your "wouldn't it be nice if" list can just keep growing. It's there as much for your dreams as anything else. You can feel comforted in knowing that the items on the list are recorded for your reference (again, you don't need to keep track of them in your head), but this list shouldn't lead you to feel overwhelmed because there isn't an actual need for you to take action. When there's a need to take action, you recategorize them.

Your long-term to-dos will ultimately turn into short-term to-dos, from which they will turn into daily to-dos. Your daily to-dos list should be focused on things that you can (and, in some cases,  objectively must) realistically accomplish in a given day.

Having a system like this allows you to feel clear, empowered, and purposeful when working with your to-do list, which is ultimately how your list should help you feel. It also mitigates the risk of missing something that was actually a high priority because it got lost among the things that you had no intention of completing.

Of course, there's still the possibility that you feel overwhelmed and burdened by your to-do list because you dislike all the things you need to do. But that's another topic for another day. (Let me know if this is something you'd like me to talk about... and be sure to subscribe for email updates to be notified if I do!).

Want more guidance? Here are a few resources you might consider:

• Acing It! A Mindful Guide to Maximum Results on Your College Admissions Test: 
  My book, in which I walk you through all the steps of the test prep process from beginning to end. Acing It! has a whole chapter on keeping track of your schedule and to-do list! ?
• Test Prep Coaching Package: 
  Work with me for 12 sessions to get your SAT or ACT prep into top shape! Includes a review of what you need to know for the SAT or ACT using my Math and Grammar outlines, opportunities to take and review official SATs and ACTs, and opportunities to learn mindset and study habits that facilitate top performance.
• Mindset Coaching Package:
  Work with me for 10 sessions to learn mindset and study habits that will facilitate top performance on the SAT, ACT or other challenges. ​I have designed some pretty gorgeous (IMO) worksheets that help you manage your time and to-do list, if this something you are wanting to improve!
• Test Prep Power Up: 
  Work with me for a single coaching session. Come with any questions you have about how to perform better on the SAT and ACT. Includes the opportunity to take and review an official SAT or ACT.

​Or contact me with a question you’ve been grappling with so that I can help in a future blog.

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