🕵️ Why Your To-Do Lists Aren’t Working

Hey there! Welcome back to The Flow by Flocus. If you’re new around here, welcome! 👋 You can check out previous editions of The Flow right here.

As we’re in the thick of back-to-routine season, it’s the perfect time to reevaluate how effective our to-do lists really are.

For this week’s edition: Let’s dig into why your to-do lists might be failing, and how you can transform them from wish lists into daily blueprints.

⛈️ Mistake #1: Too Many Tasks, Too Little Time

🏆 Solution: Pick Your Non-Negotiables

Instead of scheduling an overwhelming 15 mixed-priority tasks and only completing a few, it's way more efficient (and satisfying) to focus on your top 3 priorities for the day and nail them all.

These priorities are your non-negotiables, and they deserve your full attention. The cliché ‘quality over quantity’ is key here.

To pick your non-negotiables, start by identifying your most urgent and important tasks using the Eisenhower Matrix.

It’s also worth mentioning that our minds often blur the lines between "urgent" and "important." Here’s the distinction:

• Urgent: Demands immediate attention

• Important: Contributes to long-term goals or is crucial for success

Here's a quick visual illustrating how the Eisenhower Matrix can help you categorize your tasks, based on these criteria:

To try this method out, simply draw your quadrants on paper and populate them with your tasks. If you prefer digital, we made a quick and convenient Eisenhower Matrix Notion to-do template for your workspace.

🍱 Mistake #2: Task Bundling

 🍤 Solution: Separate & Itemize

Beware of grouping different tasks under a single to-do item just because they have a thematic link. Here's what we mean:

Say you have a report due this week. It's easy to dump its tasks under a vague umbrella like "Work on Report" — but here’s what usually goes wrong:

• The research phase may need hours of internet deep dives, journal reading, or even interviews — unexpectedly eating up your entire day.

• Writing the report is a different ball game. It involves crafting a clear narrative, referencing your findings, and making sure the material is engaging while informing.

It’s super common to lump multiple (and large) undertakings into the same to-do list item if they appear to be related, but you're setting yourself up for trouble.

Each of these activities requires a different mindset, tools, and undivided attention. Plus, finishing the research might give you a false sense of accomplishment and make you procrastinate on the writing portion.

Instead of bundling tasks together, break them down into bite-sized pieces. Back to the report example, this would mean listing several smaller and more detailed to-dos for the various steps in both research and writing.

This way, you make your tasks easier to tackle, set realistic expectations, and greatly improve your odds of following through. Plus, you’ll build momentum and have an easier time staying in your flow state.

⌛ Mistake #3: No Clear Deadlines

⏲️ Solution: Schedule & Time Block

Lastly, your tasks might be lacking structure.

A task without a deadline is like a train running without a timetable — it's bound to go off course, or worse, never reach its destination.

Imagine your to-do list as your train’s schedule, with stops you can’t miss. Establish clear cut deadlines for your tasks, and even go a step further with time blocking.

Simply break your day into chunks and assign your tasks to each time slot. Whether it's using Google Calendar, a spreadsheet, or sticky notes, map out your to-dos hour-by-hour and commit.

Here’s how a day of time blocking might look:

Upgrading your to-do list approach feels like a small change, but the impact on your daily flow can be huge. We’re confident these tips will be quick and easy to integrate into your next planning session — and will lead to more checkmarks on your lists than ever before 🪂

Till next Sunday,
Flocus Team

We love two-way convos. Any other to-do hacks that help your follow-through? Hit reply and let us know!