Prioritize: Lists and Habits

For the longest time, I struggled to prioritize. I’d start the day off with a long list of things to do, and even though I’d get a lot of random things done, the list somehow grew longer. Does that sound familiar?

This seemingly insignificant problem can actually hinder growth in all areas of life. If it’s difficult to stick to your priorities, how can you expect to get to where you envision you want to be? I want to share the 5-minute list method I use every evening to plan the following day.

1. “Must-Do” List: Think about 2-3 things that you want to get done tomorrow, either because it’s the only day possible to do it (e.g., attend an event) or because it’s required of you (e.g., complete a project for work). At least one should align with your long-term goals and vision.

2. “It Would Be Great To Do” List: Write down a few other important things that you’d like to get done, but that aren’t necessarily urgent (e.g., write a blog post or go to the gym). Ask yourself these questions: How will this task help me grow and/or bring value to my life? Does it align with one of my short-term and/or long-term goals?

3. “To-do” List: Finally, if you’re like me, you have a never-ending to-do list that’s been around since middle school. Instead of dedicating every day to this list, assign one hour to do as much as possible from it (e.g., schedule a doctor appointment or organize a kitchen drawer). I like setting a timer and doing this first thing in the morning after getting ready, because my schedule allows it and it makes me feel productive.

Besides to-do lists, there are endless good habits that you can incorporate into your schedule. My favorite habit-tracking app, Done, has a minimal and appealing UI design and is very customizable (you can select whether you want to build or quit a habit, its frequency, which days you want to track them, and more). You simply click the habit to mark it as complete - super simple, but also weirdly encouraging. Some people say to only build a couple of habits at a time - from personal experience, I’d recommend only one if you want the highest probability of sticking to it. Whether it’s a daily breathing meditation, practicing an instrument, or anything else, just focus on one habit that you want to build or quit. If it’s a habit that takes an hour or more, such as going to the gym twice a week, I recommend including that under your “must-do” list to ensure you get it done.

Takeaway:

Setting aside a few minutes every evening can change your life: it gives you perspective on what you want to do and why. Building habits are just as important for personal growth and reaching all kinds of goals - a great tool to check out is Done.