Believe it or not, there are only twenty-four hours in a day. Going forward in positive ways means learning how to prioritize and how to keep the main thing the main thing.

When prioritizing, do you know the difference between a “should do” and “to do” list? The “should do” list are those things that should be done - for example, buy a new pair of shoes.

The “to do” list are those things that must be done in order to go forward in positive, happy and healthy ways. Buying a new pair of shoes becomes a “to do” when you’re going on a hike and your walking shoes no longer give you proper arch support.

Rule of thumb: If it’s vital to health, wealth, peace of mind and taking you forward toward your goals in positive ways - then it is a “to-do” on your priority list.

The Pareto Principle says that 20% of your daily activities will account for 80% of what is truly important for achieving short term and long term goals. This means that, if you have a list of ten items, two of those items will be more productive than all the other eight items combined.

So, how do you determine which activities are most valuable?

The key to effective to-do lists is breaking your tasks into manageable bite-sized pieces. That means prioritizing tasks from the most valuable to the least valuable use of your time, energy and effort. As Stephen Covey said, “Keep first things first.”

You can use a numbering system, a lettering system or a 1-10 importance value system. The objective is to break your list into bite-sized pieces or chunks of time. The important thing is that you have a system for keeping yourself on track and achieving those things that are important to you and your goals.

Let’s look at a few tips for writing effective to-do lists:

1. Choose a main goal you’re looking to accomplish each day, week and month. Your daily to-do lists should support your top daily, weekly and monthly goals. It’s important to know and have a clear understanding of what you want to accomplish in the short term and long term. To do lists support your goals and help keep you on track.

2. Write a doable to-do list. Be realistic about your time and energy. There are only twenty-four hours in a day. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment by not being realistic about time and energy.

3. Write and prioritize your daily list the night before. Research has shown that the most effective lists are written the night before so your subconscious mind can process and think about how to effectively achieve your to do’s. Having your list completed the night before can also help you to be more self-directed and focused first thing in the morning.


To-do lists do work! The only purpose of a to-do list is to prioritize your time and focus your energy on what is most important for going positively forward, toward your goals. The job of a to-do list is to help you effectively manage time and energy and support you toward achieving your goals.

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