What is a To-Do List?

To-Do Lists are prioritized lists of all the tasks that you need to carry out. They list everything that you have to do, with the most important tasks at the top of the list, and the least important tasks at the bottom. Hand written paper based To-Do Lists have a downside that they cannot be listed via priority, but by the first remembered first written method. This can be detrimental to creating a successful To-Do List. Also paper based versions can become messy when tasks are completed and are scribbled out or ticks/crosses all over the page.

While this sounds a simple thing to do, it's when people start to use To-Do Lists properly that they often make their first personal productivity / time management breakthrough, and start to make a real success of their life and careers.

By keeping a To-Do List, you make sure that you capture all of the tasks you have to complete in one place. This is essential if you're not going to forget things. By prioritizing work, you plan the order in which you'll do things, so you can tell what needs your immediate attention, and what you can quietly forget about until much, much later. This is essential if you're going to beat work overload. Without To-Do Lists, you'll appear unfocused and unreliable to the people around you. This is vital in commercial and academic situations where others rely on you and your time management skills.