How to Make a To-Do List That Makes You Happier

Want to be happier? Here’s how to create to-do lists that will actually bring you joy. 

 

photo : @lovelyindeed

It’s likely that you rarely place happiness in the same sentence as your to-do list. You may even think that happiness only comes after the to-do list is complete. We totally get you! But happiness and a well-planned to-do list do indeed gel together. And it’s why we here at the Nourished Planner refuse to let our to-do list run our lives, but instead use our to-do lists to help live it. And we want to teach you how to as well.

The key to getting these two ideas to act like peanut butter and jelly instead of vinegar and oil is to create fewer to-do’s so there’s more space to make moments that bring happiness. More on this in a minute.

We want you to be free from the pressures of that task list and instead feel the thrill of accomplishment when you actually finish what you set out to do. This journey begins by ending the overwhelm that a list can bring on by setting boundaries,to lessen the burden of expectation. The end result? More happy days ahead.

Here are our five ways to create a to-do list that will make you happier:

1. Brain dump

No, we’re not talking about a break up with your brain, but to literally clear your head space so you can connect with it, or let it connect with you. Every week, set a time or create a to-do that literally motivates you to write out anything and everything you can think of. My 8th grade journalism teacher taught us this skill because it frees your thoughts of inhibitions, of bad ideas, of the stuff you don’t think is good enough, the stuff that is jamming up your mind, creating chaos and even ideas you don’t want to lose.

Take out a piece of paper, set a timer {or don’t} and start writing. And keep writing. No sentence, word, or thought is too dumb or mundane not to record. Literally dump it all on the paper. Things you need to get done, stuff that’s bugging you, what’s making you happy, and literally anything that pops into your head. Maybe you’ll finally solve the question of why they sky is blue. Just let it all out.

Next, take a deep breath, and relax. You’ve taken the first step in making yourself happier. Mind freedom.

2. Prioritize with purpose

Go through your brain-dump notes and prioritize the tasks and ideas that align with your values. Your values are the goals, dreams, and desires that create a purpose for your life. Take your to-do’s and give them purpose. This takes the obligation—or at least some—out of your to-do list and turns it into a get-to-do list. Now you can finally find joy in advancing on these lists.

3. Break it down and schedule it

Review and schedule your daily to-do’s. Break down the prioritized list into smaller chunks that are reasonable to achieve every day. We suggest sticking with five to-do’s per day but, of course, you can do more or less to your liking, but five seams achievable for most. Schedule these and prioritize them based on your typical daily schedule. If you’re a morning person, plan on doing more creative work then. If you’re freer in the evenings, make that your time for brainstorming. Add more time-consuming tasks to days you have more space open and smaller tasks to busy days.

Keeping your to-dos organized this way eliminates thel bogged down feeling of a never-ending list. Stick to your top-five priorities to discover the balance between work and play.

4. Don’t forget to schedule happiness to-do’s

Your to-do list doesn’t have to always be about obligations and work. Your life is an overflow of what you fill it with so fill it with positivity. This could include things like; self-care, reaching out to friends you’ve been wanting to reconnect with, hitting up a movie, or even dinner with your partner.

5. Leave room for overflow

One of the biggest stresses we think could be avoided is the weight of the endless to-do list. While we know life happens, your top to-do’s shouldn’t be beholden to your scheduling dilemmas. Instead, leave time and space at the end of the week to catch up or make-up any priorities that didn’t get accomplished.

The better news is, if your week goes well you’ll just have more space and freedom to get out and live.

Stop waiting for happiness

Now we know, most wouldn’t associate work, priorities and obligations with happiness, but by prioritizing your to-do’s based within your values you create a deep drive and desire. This changes your workflow and you can start to see how to enjoy and find happiness in the everyday life moments.

Inside the Nourished Planner, we give you plenty of space to host a brain dump and prioritize into your top five daily to-dos. Make sure you grab your own copy and make happiness a part of your every day.

Make Planning Easier with the 2018 Nourished Planner

You can purchase your very own 2018 Nourished Planner and change the way you live. Last year’s planner sold out so quickly so don’t delay! These won’t be around all year!

To see a quick run-down of what you can expect in this year’s version of the 2018 planner, click here.

Don’t forget to check out our Batch Cooking Basics Guide, where you’ll learn the REAL secrets to successful meal prep, and it starts with just a few simple recipes.

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We want to know, how are you using your Nourished Planner? Hashtag #nourishedplanner on Instagram or tag us on Facebook @NourishedPlanner and show how you are using it! 

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