There are to do lists and there are TO DO LISTS.
I find them helpful, even though I don’t use them all the time.
The big 100 days to do list fall in a heap for me. I have so many things I want to do that there are too many things to keep track of.
On work days, I use my calendar to manage the things I should be doing. That’s because in my day job I only work two days so I need a way to keep track because I forget inbetween the weeks.
On other days, well it depends on what I have on, what I want to achieve. Between Christmas and New Year I generally switch off so to do lists go out the window unless I’m hosting a deck party. Parties need to do lists. How else can you delegate?
Generally though if I am not doing the day job, I need a to do list to set myself goals or achieve something. Otherwise the day can just fritter away with a little bit of this, some couch/streaming etc. If I’m struggling there might be one or two things on my to do list.
Today (example only)
- write a blog post
- write Gentleman Magician for an hour
- cook dinner.
Now I have done other things. I picked up my glasses, I’ve had lunch with Rob, I went to the supermarket. I’ve also fixed a Chinese character in The Prudential Light, uploaded new print files and new ebook files. They are additional things.
Whether I will write today remains to be seen. I’m giving my brain a rest.
However, that being said, to do lists work for me when I’m enthusiastic, need to get things done. If I’m not enthusiastic, then I’ll put one thing on that to do list that is important for me, just to get me going.
Motivation can sometimes be thin on the ground. There is a push pull-thing going on with what I want to do and making the effort to do them.
I’ve bought a wall planner and a desk planner. I’m going to fix up my workspace tomorrow when the new hutch arrives for my desk. I want to achieve a lot in 2026. However, sometimes it’s hard.
A wall planner is one massive to do list really.
The downside for to do list though can be where you do things not on your to do list. Or as you are marking things off, you add things you forgot! The list doesn’t get smaller.
Anyway, here are my writing to dos for 2026. Wish me luck.
Donna Maree Hanson, Author, Phd in Creative Writing 