Chapter 1: The Value of a Simple To-Do List

In today's fast-paced world, many of us seek effective productivity methods. One of the most insightful voices I've encountered is Darius Foroux, a writer on Medium with an impressive following of 274,000. Among the 77 writers I personally follow, Foroux stands out.

Recently, he made a bold claim in his article titled “Save 20 Hours a Week By Removing These 4 Useless Things In Your Life.” He argues that the traditional to-do list is one of the items to eliminate. He suggests that a cluttered list can lead to decision fatigue, causing unnecessary stress and “analysis paralysis.” When faced with an overwhelming number of tasks, we often feel lost and unable to act.

However, after 35 years of personal and professional experience—much of it spent collaborating with NASA—I believe that Foroux's suggestion may be misguided. I commented on his article, explaining how a to-do list can, in fact, save time. By jotting down tasks, I alleviate the worry of forgetting important items, allowing my mind to focus on the present.

My perspective resonated with many readers, as evidenced by the 100 fans my comment received. Here’s how some of them responded:

EllaA shared, “Absolutely. I prefer jotting down my tasks to keep my mind clear, rather than waking up and scrambling to remember what needs to be done. Essentially, maintaining a to-do list is akin to planning my day in advance.”

Denise Donnelly added, “I completely agree. I’m the type of person who forgets things if they’re not in front of me. Once I set an idea aside, unless I’ve noted it down, it may take a while to revisit it. He makes a valid point about keeping daily to-do lists short and focused on just a few important tasks. It’s more manageable and less intimidating compared to a lengthy list, which can lead to procrastination as it can feel overwhelming.”

Chapter 2: The Tools I Tried and Their Shortcomings

Over the years, I’ve experimented with various task management tools such as Trello, Asana, and Kanban. Despite their innovative features, they all shared a common flaw: complexity.

Each platform required significant setup time and ongoing maintenance, making them more of a burden than a help.

Chapter 3: My Effective To-Do List Method

After much trial and error, I've discovered that the simplest solution—a straightforward to-do list—works best for me. I utilize Google Tasks, a tool that’s readily available on both my laptop and smartphone.

This method allows me to list everything I need to remember, from mundane tasks like watering plants to more complex responsibilities such as client projects or future article ideas.

I follow “7 rules of the road” to ensure my to-do list remains effective without becoming overwhelming:

1. Each task is scheduled for the day I plan to address it.
2. I include tasks related to others that I need to follow up on, placing them on the day I’d like to check in.
3. Daily routines, like brushing my teeth, don’t clutter my list.
4. I aim to keep my list to no more than 5-6 tasks, with only 1-2 being complex.
5. On busy days filled with meetings, I prioritize simplicity—perhaps just one complex task and a couple of straightforward ones.
6. I don’t need to finish a complex task to consider it a success; I just need to make progress.
7. I start with quick tasks to clear my mind before tackling the larger ones.