Getting Things Done: The To-Do List Sandwich Method
Creating a to-do list has been a part of my daily life for a long time. I like to start my day by making my list. It taps into my thoughts and centers me because it gives me focus for the day. I’ve found that when I skip my to-do list, I tend to get a lot less done because I don’t know where to start. On the other hand, there have been times when my to-do list was so huge that I didn’t know where to start. That’s when I learned about the power of five.
Check marks are not the same as doing things.
Every day, I used to fill almost an entire page of a notepad with things I “needed” to do. I’d sit down and think of every conceivable task I thought needed to be done and write them down. For some reason, a longer list made me feel good. It made me feel like I had a lot to do. The problem was that it was too much.
The first thing I started noticing was that about half of my to-do list was filled with routine activities: brushing my teeth, cleaning the bathroom, doing the dishes, doing the laundry. These were regular daily tasks, but they gloss over my to-do list. I quickly learned that by removing them from my list, I could easily cut them in half, if not more. Sure, being able to cross those things off my list every day felt good (because looked as if he had achieved something), but was it really necessary? No. I quickly realized that the only thing I was getting was doing more work for myself.
How I made my to-do list sandwich.
Since I love food, I decided to take a different approach to my daily to-do list. I decided to create a “sandwich” of to-do lists, one that was more doable. I was somewhat worried about reducing my lists to shorter ones. It felt wrong, but I tried it anyway.
What I discovered was that by compressing my lists, I actually started doing more than ever before. The shorter my lists were, the more productive I became. Here’s how the to-do list sandwich method works:
- Bread- The most difficult and time-consuming task
- Mayonnaise- 10-15 minute homework
- Ham- Task next to the most difficult
- Lettuce – 15-30 minute homework
- Bread- simpler task
First, create a shortened to-do list. Then start with the most difficult or longest task. Then follow up with a quick task that requires little to no effort. Move on to the next challenging or time-consuming task, continue with another quick and short task. Finally finish the to-do list sandwich with another simple task.
Quick tip: Be careful with your easy tasks among the most difficult ones. These are the ones you should use a timer with to avoid wasting time.