I’ve always been kind of a space cadet.

I’m often in my own little world inside of my mind, barely paying attention to the present surroundings or the words that people are saying to me, especially if it’s important information.

For whatever reason, my attention is a little hyperactive, forgetting the aforementioned important information but keeping facts like the average weight of a whale shark available and at hand.

That little world is a pleasant place, oftentimes, filled with curiosities and strangeness, but it’s a distraction.

It’s quite difficult for me to keep myself focused when “oh, shiny object” is the constant refrain, onto some new and interesting thought that drags me away from the present.

So I use to-do lists to keep myself in check.

To remember everything that I need to do, but also to push myself further towards my goals and to form new habits.

I’ve been addicted to lists since I was a kid. Anything in that formula just helps my mind to focus on the task at hand.

It wasn’t until college, however, that I began to lose track of everything I needed to do. In high school, I could hold all of that information in my head, but there were a whole lot more page numbers to memorize once I hit the university campus. So I began to keep my lists, a practice that I have kept up with for a very long time.

These lists help me to keep my mind from those distractions that normally beset me each day. There’s no doubt, when I stare at that piece of paper, what needs to be done.

And best of all?

There’s no better feeling than checking off that box and seeing a visual representation of your accomplishment. It sets it into stone.

Create Your Own To-Do List

Of course, you already know how to make a list.

It’s as simple as jotting down an assortment of tasks that need to be completed, and crossing them out or checking them off when they’re done.

But I personally think the perfect to-do list has more elements than that.

The perfect list is one that will be a motivator, all on its own. By seeing what you have accomplished so far, you will be spurred on to complete the entire thing.

Have a Mix of Easy and Hard Tasks
Don’t just jot down your most dreaded tasks — give yourself an easy dopamine boost and put down something you know you’ll accomplish during the day. Checking off that one simple task will push you to complete the harder ones!
Have A Number-One Priority for the Day
It’s simple to know what to do first if you prioritize your tasks. Personally, I like to get a few easy tasks out of the way before I tackle the number one thing, but it’s always best to put that priority somewhere near the top, so you’ll read over it each time you look over your own list.
Be Realistic
Chances are, if you’ve been putting off cleaning the house for months, you probably won’t do it all in one day. So be realistic with yourself — break larger projects down into smaller tasks and conquer a few of those each day. Try to give yourself some variety so that you’re not stuck doing the same repetitive activity all day.
Plan Some Fun
I always like to have a way to reward myself after I complete my to-do list. Usually, it’s a little time in the bathtub with some Epsom salts and a good book. Give yourself a little pat on the back. And put it on the list!

To-Do Lists Saved My Life

The reason I’m so enthusiastic about such a simple topic as keeping a to-do list is that I truly believe this practice helped me to regain control over my life.

Three years ago this September, a man who I was deeply in love with professed that he no longer wanted to be with me. I was forced to move from Colorado, where I’d made my home for only a few months, back to my parent’s house in Florida. I was incredibly depressed.

So depressed, in fact, that I often contemplated killing myself. I had no direction. No drive. I was too heartbroken to want to continue living.

I’d never been so deep into that feeling before — that blackness almost overtook me.

And then I discovered The Miracle Morning, a self-help book that lays out a morning routine to help you live a better life.

To keep track of the routine, I began to keep a list every day.

And because I was so depressed, I also put simple things that depressed people forget to do on that list. Like brushing my teeth and showering and eating three meals. Like laundry. Like leaving the house for five minutes.

Those lists kept me going. They rewarded me for the basic things, the priorities I needed but couldn’t motivate myself to care about. And eventually, the fog began to lift.

I began to see hope and light in life again. And every day, I performed my tasks.

It’s been three years. I haven’t been consistent with it, but I’ve persisted regardless.

And now, I’m happier than I’ve ever been. It’s not just the to-do lists, or the morning routine, or the self-help books: it’s giving an effort. It’s trying, even when I feel like I have no willpower. It’s being resilient, having grit, and pushing yourself.