[Storyteller.]

Originally Posted by Stardust.

Does anyone create a daily/weekly/monthly to-do list? Does it help you? How do you feel if you don't check everything off?

I outsource as many of my executive functions as I can, and I've found that creating to-do lists helps a lot because I don't have to worry as much about relying on my (unreliable) working memory or (lack of) time management skills. I often don't get every single item checked off, but over the years I've done a lot of work to be able to shift my mindset away from perfectionism and towards an attitude of "some is better than none"; that means that most of the time even just engaging with the to-do list and checking a few things off registers as a success in my mind.

Originally Posted by Stardust.

So, my question is does anyone else have a to-do list going? What do you do to motivate you to keep it going and to help you focus on tasks that need to get done? Do you reward yourself in any way after completing the list? If you do have a to-do list, what is the frequency? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? Yearly?

I use a combination of a habit tracker app, my phone's calendar, and a notebook. The app is good for motivation because it gamifies the process of doing real-world tasks, and the in-game rewards are a fun reward. That's what I use for daily tasks (things like having meals, showering, cleaning that needs to be done every day, etc). For one-off events (like appointments or academic deadlines) or anything that occurs on a less-than-daily frequency (bigger cleaning jobs, bills that have to be paid manually, etc), I add it into the app and my calendar, then set reminders for it so I won't accidentally forget it. Some days if my brain's a little fuzzier I'll also have a physical to-do list, which I only use for tasks that need to be done that day. Writing it down in a notebook helps me to a) remember the tasks and b) feel accomplished when I get to cross them off with a pen (as opposed to just tapping on a screen). As far as real-world rewards go, it depends on what tasks or lists I've completed. Sometimes the reward is completion itself, just knowing I don't have to worry about it anymore, but other times I'll do something like watch an episode of my favourite show or have something sweet/sugary to eat. If it's a really big task I might even buy myself something nice, like a new candle or piece of clothing.

Honestly it took me a while to find a system that works for me and that I was willing to stick to, so my advice (if you were looking for any) is just to try out different strategies and find the one that's best for you. Not everything works for every person, so it's a matter of finding what's best in terms of what your life is like and how your mind works.