At MDL Notebooks we intentionally separated the to-do lists into two groups:

• Desired Lifestyle/Daily Action Item: where you focus on your future self
• Current Lifestyle To-Do List: where you manage the life you’re living today

We implemented this to help you clarify and be intentional with your desires and actions for your future self. While we believe in manifesting dreams, we also know the importance of taking action. The lists are intentionally short – 3 lines for Desired Lifestyle and 8 lines for Current Lifestyle – to avoid overwhelming to-do lists and potential anxiety. We get it – some days are busier than others. If your to-do list is longer, that's where your Notes Pages comes in handy for expanding the list. 

Best Practices for Managing To-Do Lists

Managing a daily to-do list effectively can significantly improve productivity and help you stay organized. 

• Prioritize Tasks: Identify and prioritize tasks based on urgency and importance. Categorize tasks: urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, neither urgent nor important.
• Plan Your Week: Either Monday or Sunday, when you’re preparing for the week, enter tasks by day. For example, pick the day that a task absolutely needs to be completed and write it on that day. 
• Set Realistic Goals: Be realistic about what you can accomplish in a day – this is why we limited the space for to-dos. Focus on a manageable number of high-priority items.
• Break Down Tasks: Break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable sub-tasks. This makes it easier to tackle tasks incrementally and helps you track progress.
• Time Blocking: Allocate specific blocks of time for different types of tasks. This helps create a structured schedule and prevents multitasking.
• Be Flexible: Understand that unexpected events may arise, and priorities may shift. Be flexible and adjust your to-do list as needed.
• Celebrate Achievements: Acknowledge and celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small. Use your Wins section in your MDL Goal Setting Method Notebook to applaud your achievements. This positive reinforcement can motivate you to stay on track.
• Review Your Week: Flip back through your pages, if you see a task that wasn’t accomplished, or if you kept moving forward and still not accomplishing it, have a think about why you’re procrastinating. Is there something you need to work on before you can do this task?

Regularly review your to-do list, preferably at the end of each day. Reflect on what you've accomplished and adjust your plan for the next day accordingly.