To do list vs daily planner
Would you say making a large compiled to do list is more effective than having a daily planner where you can break tasks down by day and due date? My preference is a daily planner because I feel one large list might be more overwhelming. I'd like to know other's opinion on that.
I just like to purge things onto a list. I like to get them out of my brain as this lesson suggests, and crossing them off is so satisfying. I have a sheet of paper that I write tasks on as they come to me, and then I transfer priorities onto a smaller daily list based on priorities. This way I get to cross them off twice; double satisfaction!
I begin each term with a large to-do lost. I then break that list down to a daily list. This way I am sure to remember everything that has to be done in a term, but I can manage it with a day to day list.
Maribeth, Interesting approach. I like how you are using both in concert, but for different reasons. Sometimes, we need a couple of different resources to achieve success in time and task management.
Dr. Melissa Read
I use both a to do list and a planner. I utilize the to do list for a snap shot of tasks that are urgent and use the planner for recurring +/or events that are not urgent. I update my to do list throughout the day/week.
I also use a combination of each. I have many little tasks through the workday that I write on pieces of paper or a small notepad that goes with me from desk to computer or the classroom if need be. When I need to use the planner, larger daily (or weekly or less frequent) tasks make it there. It's simple enough to put the daily to-do list into the planner if I want.
I like the idea of a daily planner because you can arrange your tasks that need to be done according to the day that works best to do them or the day they must be completed by. Another incentive for me to just do it and get it done is that I have to keep writing it on another day until it's done. Sometimes it's just easier to do it than to have to keep rewriting it.
I like having one large list, and I have been doing this for years, BUT I do think you have to separate it out by urgency or date. But I do like to see one snapshot of everything, so I know what is coming up around the bend, so to speak.
I actually use both but rely mostly on the to-do list. I like to be able to see all of the things that I want to accomplish on one basic list and feel relief when I can mark them off as completed! But, I also sometimes will make a daily list of the things I need to do that will enable me complete the task on the larger to-do list. The things on the to-do list often require a sequence of events to happen before it can be completed so the daiy list helps me to move in a positive direction and get the jobs done.
Tracy, Sometimes we need different tools to manage our professional and personal lives. It's great when we can consolidate everything onto one list but sometimes it's simply not possible. Ultimately, we've got to do what works best for our unique working styles and situations.
Dr. Melissa Read
I like a daily planner, I use my smartphone to prioritize my day and I look at it first thing in the morning to see what deadlines, meetings and so on need to be addressed. Once I know that, I write myself a short list of action items that should be covered for the day. I also have continuous "bigger picture" list that I use to help me with longer deadlines coming up on the horizon.
I feel that this is a personal choice. I use a combination of each. I use the daily planner to stay on schedule but incorporated into that is a To Do List which prioritizes what is most important for that item. I started this a long time ago when I first got into Management to help me stay organized and it still helps me to this day.
I have found that I like a to do list. When I use a daily planner I forget I have it or to look at it every day. If I have a list that I can post in plain sight then I review it everyday. But this is for work. For my personal life a daily planner works best. Wish I could intergrate the two to work best in both situations.
Richard, Love your thinking. Thanks for sharing your approach as well as the language you use to get things done. Yes, being assertive and asking for commitment are wonderful ways to keep assignments moving.
Dr. Melissa Read
Ms. Perez, I agree with you that a large to do list may be overwhelming, and that a daily approach may be better. Sometimes I have difficulty in deciding what to do about administration's task of assigning a timeline that is impossible to meet. I have been told that these time lines were NOT negotiable. I feel that it may be better to ask, "When can you complete this request?" Negotiation is vital to working with faculty, and should be considered an important aspect of performing a task well.
