2202: How to Structure Your To-Do List AND Back to Basics: The Kindergarten Model of Organizing by Julie Morgenstern on Time Management

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[00:00:52] This is Optimal Work Daily. How to structure your to-do list. By Julie Morgenstern of juliemorgenstern.com. Do you struggle with your never-ending to-do list? Before long the whole thing becomes so overwhelming that you stop actually looking at it? You might default to doing whatever is flying at you or whatever is screaming the loudest.

[00:01:14] This is a very common phenomenon. Because we have so much to-do in our lives, it's really easy to be overwhelmed. Whether it's paper or digital, there are a few principles I recommend to structure your to-dos so your list becomes approachable. The great unlock is to remember that a to-do that is not connected to a when rarely gets done. Each to-do has to get assigned a day or time. Otherwise, you're just hoping to do it when you remember it or when you have a free moment, which doesn't ever seem to happen.

[00:01:44] Instead, with just a few actionable tips, your to-do list can transform into a realistic game plan to get your most important tasks done. 1. Integrate to-dos into your calendar. A master to-do list can go on for 3-plus pages and become so overwhelming you avoid looking at it altogether. I'll never be able to finish everything on this list, we think to ourselves, so why bother trying? On the other hand, your calendar represents all the time you have to get things done.

[00:02:13] For every to-do, ask yourself, when am I going to do it? And then schedule it into your calendar, just like a meeting. You're creating a due date, that's D-O, as opposed to a D-U-E date for yourself. Your calendar becomes a sort of silent assistant, planning and protecting the time, motivation, and accountability to get things done. 2. Categorize to track your balance.

[00:03:08] Instance, client, team, admin. If you capture your to-dos by category, you'll be able to keep an eye on the balance across your various roles and responsibilities. And if any category gets too heavy and is using too much time, you can quickly see what is getting short shrift, and come up with an action plan to get back in balance. And 3. Use action verbs. A to-do needs to be concrete, actionable, and clear. Start all to-dos with an action verb.

[00:03:36] Vague notations, such as board report or blog, burden you with having to remember what you meant, and will slow you down as you take the time to remember, what am I supposed to do with that blog? Instead, try, write first draft of blog, or polish final draft of blog. Then, add time estimates next to each to-do, especially if you tend to overbook your days. Jotting down a time estimate for each task keeps you very conscious and realistic about how much you can realistically get done in a day.

[00:04:06] And if you end up with any free time, like a 60-minute meeting gets canceled, you can easily scan your list. You are ready to grab a 60-minute task from your to-do list that fits right into that new opening. Ultimately, structuring your to-dos on your calendar, in categories, with action verbs and a time estimate, takes the pressure off. You'll no longer avoid the long, ambiguous scroll of to-dos. Your plan becomes realistic yet flexible. Your time is properly allocated to the most important tasks.

[00:04:35] And when more things feel doable, more things get done. Back to Basics, the Kindergarten Model of Organizing, by Julie Morgenstern of juliemorgenstern.com When it comes to getting organized, whether you want to tame the chaos in a single drawer, one closet, or a whole room, there's no doubt the process can be overwhelming. We've talked in previous blogs about the power of focusing on just one or two projects at a time.

[00:05:05] As you tackle each area, the next question is, how do you create a system that will last? As you think about your organizing projects, it helps to go back to basic organizing principles. Keep in mind that organizing is different than decluttering. Decluttering is about identifying what is obsolete in your space and releasing it. But that actually doesn't create a system. It just opens up space. Organizing is about identifying what is important to you

[00:05:31] and arranging it in a logical way that gives you access to what you use and love so that you can live the life you choose. Once you determine that your goal is to create a system that works for you, success begins with picturing your space when it's done. How? Think kindergarten. From the day I started my business, I have designed every home, office, and schedule on the model of a kindergarten classroom. Walk into any kindergarten classroom in the world and you will behold the perfect model of organization.

[00:06:00] Think about what makes it work. One, the room is divided into activity zones. Reading zone, dress-up zone, arts and crafts zone, music zone, snack zone. Two, it's easy to focus on one activity at a time. With each zone well-defined and fully self-contained, you can concentrate 100% on a given task. Nothing else competes for your attention. Three, items are stored at their point of use with everything needed for each activity at your fingertips.

[00:06:30] For example, when doing arts and crafts, all the paper, crayons, markers, paints, brushes, and smocks needed for a creative session are gathered in one convenient location. Four, it's almost as much fun putting things away as it is playing with them. That's because every item has a clear, well-labeled home in a container that is the perfect size to hold it. Sliding trays for puzzles. Wooden blocks with holes for scissors. Nose down, handles up. Cleanup is fast and even joyful.

[00:07:00] Spaces are easy to use and clean up, making them ready and welcoming when you come back. And five, it offers a visual menu of everything that is important to the people who inhabit that space. Anyone can walk into that classroom, look around, and decide what to do and where to do it based on a set of clearly defined cues. The beauty of the kindergarten model is that it creates a space that reflects who you are and what is important to you, and each thing only has one place to go, which makes maintenance a breeze.

[00:07:29] Whatever area of your home or office you want to organize, start today and go back to the basics. Before you start throwing anything out, define your activity zones. Then you can sort and organize your stuff into a logical system with everything you need at your fingertips. Nothing feels better than a space that supports the life you want to live. You just listened to the posts titled, How to Structure Your To-Do List,

[00:07:56] and Back to Basics, The Kindergarten Model of Organizing, both by Julie Morgenstern of juliemorgenstern.com. Dan W. is here. Coach and Spotify are teaming up to bring music and style together, and they want you to be part of it. Grab your friends and head to the Tabby Tour, hitting cities around the country with live performances from special artists, exclusive experiences, and personalized products. And discover custom playlists on Spotify, built just for you based on who you are and how you listen.

[00:08:26] Live your story with Coach. Learn more at coach.com. This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome? That's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50-page restoration block, or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it. Ready to make anything online make sense? There's no place like Chrome. Check responses set up required.

[00:08:55] Compatibility and availability varies 18+. And I want to thank Julie, who is an organizing and productivity consultant, New York Times bestselling author and speaker. For over 25 years, Julie has been teaching people all over the world and at all stages of life how to overcome disorganization to achieve their goals. She's the inventor of the inside-out approach to organization and the brain behind their services. And she has a bunch of great articles and much more on her website,

[00:09:22] which again is juliemorganstern.com. So please check that out, show her some support. And a big thanks to Julie for letting us read her blog posts right here. But that is going to do it for today. I thank you as always for being here and listening all the way through. And I will be back again with you tomorrow, where your optimal life awaits.