If you are a very busy person, a to-do list and a checklist are tools that can be essential for your time management efforts. A to-do list is simply a list that shows the tasks that you are supposed to do at a later time, serving as a reminder. A checklist, on the other hand, is slightly different than a to-do list. That’s because it shows the scheduled tasks to complete or you have done.
Here is a sample template for a daily to-do list/checklist just to help you get the idea on how to-do lists should look like;
Daily To-Do List:…………………………………….
| Status | Priority | Due Date | Project/Task To Be Done | Reminders |
To Do List & Checklist (Examples and Templates)
Checklist Template 01
- MS Excel
Checklist Template 02
- MS Excel
Checklist Template 03
- MS Excel
Checklist Template 04
- MS Excel
Checklist Template 05
- MS Excel
Checklist Template 06
- MS Excel
Checklist Template 07
- MS Excel
Why Use a To-Do List?
The main purpose of a to-do list is to help you not forget to perform an important task that you set aside. The list of tasks you may need a to-do list for is virtually endless. Some of the tasks include but not limited to the following:
- To call your mum when you return home from work, in the evening.
- To submit a book report later.
- To undertake a home improvement project on over the weekend.
- To pay a bill at a later time.
- To collect your suit from the dhobi.
- To pick a loved one from the airport.
Checklist Template 08
- MS Excel
Checklist Template 09
- MS Excel
Checklist Template 10
- MS Excel
Checklist Template 11
- MS Word
Checklist Template 12
- MS Word
Checklist Template 13
- MS Word
Checklists
Before describing the templates for checklists, I would like to mention that to-do lists and checklists can be on any durational basis whether that be minutely, hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and so on. Having said that, it is important to note that a checklist is a flexible document without a particular template. You are free to create it, however, you like, though there are a few sections that cannot miss on it. These include;
- The status of the project.
- The priority of the project.
- The deadline for the project.
- The description of the task to be done.
- Project reminders.
Checklist Template 14
- MS Word
Checklist Template 15
- MS Word
Checklist Template 16
- MS Word
Checklist Template 17
- MS Word
Checklist Template 18
- MS Word
Use a To-Do list Template to Organize Your Daily Life
Frankly speaking, to-do list and checklist templates can be relevant to virtually everyone. Whether you are a student, an employee, or someone who has a family, these templates can really go a long way in organizing your day-to-day life.
As a student or an employee, for example, these templates can help you manage your responsibilities effectively, by making sure you do not forget anything important. In the family context, on the other hand, they can be relatively useful for ensuring that the family runs in an organized manner. To-do lists and templates, for example, can be fairly useful for managing household chores such as preparing meals, washing utensils, doing laundry, cleaning the house, and etc. Apart from household chores, they can also be very helpful when it comes to tackling the responsibilities that come with raising a child, which include feeding the baby, burping the baby, putting the baby to sleep, bathing the baby, and so on. Don’t forget that these templates can also be used in managing family projects such as building watering the garden, mowing the lawn, installing things, repairing things, replacing stuff, and so on.
Question Answers:
A to-do list should be as brief as possible. Remember that this is merely a reminder for you to complete a task. Having said that, the list should include only five important details i.e;
• the status of the project.
• the priority of the project.
• the deadline for the project.
• a description of the task to be performed in the project.
• a reminder.
The answer depends majorly on two factors i.e. the number of the tasks you want the list to remind you about and the durational basis of it. For example, the length of a to-do list that you create to remind you about completing a single task will not be the same as that of a list you build to help you not forget about finishing numerous tasks. Similarly, the length of an hourly to-do list will not be the same as that of a weekly basis, monthly basis or so.
A not-to-do list can be said to be the inverse of a to-do list. That’s because; instead of reminding you of the important tasks you cannot forget to do, it reminds you of the things you must not do in a project. In other words, it helps you avoid doing certain things while undertaking a project.