To-do list! Inspired by @ChaleneJohnson with my own tips in the mix!

I create a to-do list every morning and every week based on goals that I re-evaluate and revamp every month. It is by far the best thing I've added to my daily routine and I'm convinced it's made me better over all. I started this practice half heartedly after getting daily loving reminders from Chalene Johnson to make my to-do list and keep it close at hand but I didn't really have a good handle on how to make a GREAT list and how to follow it until I read "Eat That Frog".

First off, I have to give credit where credit is due. Chalene Johnson has given amazing advice on how to create and use a to-do list on a regular basis. To hear her point of view, go to and download her audio at www.chalenejohnson.com/gift. If you aren't already subscribed, I also recommend subscribing to her audio program, Car Smart (TM). I love having her lectures on my Blackberry!

Since this is a blog about to-do lists, let's get this party rolling for how having a to-do list can improve your life!

• With the right construction, it can keep you on track to achieve your major goals by taking steps towards it EVERY DAY.
• If you put every little thing on your to-do list, you won't forget to do those "little things" that seem to fall to the wayside as bigger projects take over.
• You feel less stressed because you won't be trying to remember a ton of "things to do". Put it on your list and then focus on the task at hand.
• You'll be able to plan your day better because you know what you need to get done.
• I can't explain how good it feels to check things off your to-do list and see what you've accomplished - it's addicting!!
• Projects and major events don't seem nearly as daunting when they're broken down into manageable tasks.

There - 6 good reasons why you should have a to-do list. Just having a list isn't the magic part though...it's how you have, keep, and use your to-do list. So with that...you guessed it - another list!

How to use your to-do list to its potential!

• Put everything on that list! I don't care if it's a huge chunk of a project or something as simple as "send an email to Mom". If you have to do it, put it on the list.
• I've always believed this and you'll hear Chalene reinforce it in her audio: keep one list in one place where you can get to it all the time. I use my phone because that thing almost never leaves my side. Heidi Klum says she keeps hers on a notepad that she even takes into the bathroom because she thinks through things in the shower and wants to be able to add to her list right away. Do what works for you but keep it all handy!
• Make sure that you're being real with yourself. If it's one of those days that you have a dozen meetings or 3 kids who have to be at 3 different practices on 3 different ends of town at the same time - don't plan to knock out 40 things that day! Balance your to-dos with scheduled responsibilities!
• I recommend a layered system. I have major goals for the year that I have broken up by month. At the start of every month, reevaluate and see where you are and what you need to get done in the next 30-31 days. Every week take a look at that and determine which bite you can take that week and then every DAY look at your list, what has gotten done, what you need to do, how your week looks and make sure that you're doing everything TODAY that you can so that tomorrow can be better.
• When you look at your to-do list every morning, try to do so at the same time at the same place. This will put your brain in "to-do list mode" and will help you create a rhythm.
• If you're working on a big project - you know the kind...the one where it takes a little while to get going but once you get your momentum, you have to break it - and something little comes across your plate, don't let it distract you! Put it on your to-do list, forget it, focus on the task at hand. Jumping from task to task without completing anything doesn't amount to much. It's like taking a bite of a roll, then a bite of chicken, then some corn, then green beans...all without chewing and swallowing one bite before taking the next - before you know it, your mouth is full and you're choking! One. Bite. At. A. Time....same goes for your tasks.
• Got something done? Check it off! I'm pretty sure that especially as you learn to REALLY value your to-do list, checking things off causes the same chemical reaction in your brain as an addicting drug. You feel good, like you can take on the world, and you're driven to get the next task done so you can check that off your to-do list too and repeat that high!
• We all have emergencies that come up, things that happen that force us to move away from the task at hand....don't beat yourself up if that happens and you lose your list for the day - that's why you revamp it every morning!
• Prioritize! We all have those "fun" things to-do which are countered by the less exciting "must do"s. It's important to make sure that you can tell which things are "needs" and which are "wants". I use a color coding system - use whatever works for you!

The last point I'd like to make is around the 2:00 2 minute task checks. I've gotten a couple questions on them so I'll describe it now for all to "hear". As I've mentioned, I believe that every little task should go on your to-do list to help keep these little thoughts from distracting you from the task at hand. Since checking things off your list can also get addicting, what better way to defend against the 2 or 3 o'clock afternoon crash? My reminder is to encourage you to, at your next break between tasks, scan your to-do list for those little tasks that can be done in 2 minutes or less. Don't get too distracted by them as I'm sure you have high priority things to finish but tackle those little tasks. By crossing off a number of tasks in 15 minutes or so, you'll revitalize your "I can do this!" mentality and be reenergized to get through your afternoon. Look for my 2 o'clock reminders on twitter (@gabriellah99) or Facebook (Gabriella Harrison or Sweat.Eat.Repeat.).

I'd love to hear your ideas on a to-do list, especially if you have more tips that you think would help fellow readers! Have you recently started keeping a good list? How has it helped? What have you learned?