Do you make plans/lists for yourself most days?

[Isitafullmoon]

Just interested to know how most people plan their days. Especially their days off/weekends.

Do you make lists of things that you need to do. Or are you more of a take it as it comes?

I find that I'm not very good without a bit of structure and I end up wasting a lot of time. Then I feel really guilty about it.

I do love a list, but don't find I have that much admin that requires it. I will have lists going for Christmas, holiday planning etc. If I have a bunch of stuff to sort during some annual leave I will create a list to keep on top of it, but weekends are mostly just our usual tasks divided out between us so we don't need to list that as that's just our usual routine.

I have a list every day but it’s not always written down. In the mornings I just think right, what do I need to do today. Obviously not the daily tasks like empty dishwasher etc but anything else goes on my list. I usually prioritise the list and divide into must do and nice to do. Mainly because I’ve got 3 young DC including a baby so the amount I can get done really depends on how well the baby naps, what time they go to sleep, if someone is poorly etc.

For work things, yes, or if there are things I need to book before going away. At home on an ordinary weekend, no.

Yes lists and reminders rule my life

I like a list but I find them overwhelming a lot of the time. I'm trying instead to follow rangan chattergee's tip of asking 'what is the most important thing to get done today?' - once you've done it you can always add another thing, but it prevents the overwhelming feeling of so much to do and not knowing where to start.

I have extensive lists and reminders for every day, week, month and upcoming years. I won't remember to do things otherwise. My Reminders app is a work of art.

I even have reminders for the daily and weekly chores, because I'm so in my own head all the time that I just won't think to do them without the list.

I constantly update the to-do list to reflect what I actually achieved each day, and reschedule things that didn't go to plan. I feel panicky and overwhelmed without my lists.

Before smartphones and this type of software, I used to run late all the time, having got distracted by some project or other. My friends at university teased me constantly about it, and used to give me fake earlier times for meeting up.

I have a little book with a list for every day which I write the night before. Todays is - order a washer dryer for my mother, sort out travel insurance, speak to Solicitor, book MOT, phone Mum’s bank, buy birthday cards, sort out bathroom blinds, buy a pepper, pick up order from Argos, make chili, visit hospital, walk dogs. Some won’t get done because it’s a Sunday.

Many of these things will roll over to tomorrow’s list. I get great satisfaction from going back and crossing things out.

At the top of each page I write ‘Eat the Frog’ i.e. do the thing I like least first.

I firmly believe I have undiagnosed ADHD and the lists are one of my ways of keeping control.

Yes, I need a list to help me remember, prioritise and complete tasks. I've just created one for today/tomorrow as I was forgetting things - so far I've got a list of 19 things to do on my notes app, hence why I need lists. I also fastidiously keep lists at work as well, I've got a fast moving and demanding job with lots of deadlines, so my lists (which are handwritten, as I find that works best for me), are crucial for me to see at a glance what I need and want to achieve each day, plus the less urgent / longer term tasks that are at risk of being forgotten if I don't note them.

Yes even at weekends i usually have a list in my head of things i need to do but will try and have some chill time too.

I do like listening to but sometimes I feel they put too much pressure on things. I used to make lists for everything but now I only make a list for absolute priorities. I do like ticking them off tho!

*lists

I'm retired, and without the structure of a working day it's tempting to sit around and not get anything done. So I loosely plan each day's housework, admin etc in advance. It has helped me get on top of it all and I enjoy my leisure time more knowing I've been productive the rest of the day.
I find it's also helpful to be realistic as to how much I can manage to do - a list that's too long is overwhelming and demotivating so I keep it short.

I have lists of lists!
I start Monday anything not completed Monday and not urgent is rolled over to Saturday when I have more time. Anything still on there by Monday morning is rolled over to Outstanding.
I pick two or three off outstanding on a weekend to complete.
I'm 53, perimenopausal and my heads a shed usually! If it's not written down somewhere it doesn't stand a chance!

My job consists of checklists and chasing people up, so I only have a short mental list for my days off.

For work, yes. Before I log off I usually write myself a list of tasks carried over that need addressing the next day. And then it gets added to throughout the day and switched around in order of priority.
for personal/home stuff not really. Unless I have a really busy day requiring a lot of multitasking and deadlines (rare). Obviously things like Christmas shopping lists etc then yes.
But we don’t have small dc anymore and our weekends are definitely more for relaxing than jobs.

At the beginning of the year I made a list of about 20 goals/things I'd like to achieve during 2025. My list has big things like walk 1000 miles over the year, plus smaller things like keep the inside of my car clean & tidy. From this, every 4 weeks I make a list of things that I'll do towards those goals during those weeks, and then each Sunday I make a plan of what I'll do for those goals during the coming week. I use that to make my daily to do list, adding on other things that I need/want to do during the day.

So my to do list today is some work in the garden towards one of my goals of making it more wildlife friendly, plus a few everyday life things that need doing - fill car with petrol, ironing etc.

I also have a two week rota of housework jobs that I add to my daily housework routine. It means that jobs that used to not get done are being done much more regularly.

I used to be very lackadaisical, never got anything done, wasted lots of time, was always feeling guilty about it. My planning now takes very little time, even if it sounds about elaborate it isn't at all, and I do lots, lots more these days. I work slowly towards the goals I set for myself and know I'm making progress, which is a big plus for my mental health. Im more focused about what I spend money on, it fits my plan rather than being random. For some reason I am very motivated by being able to tick off items on a list. I wish I'd worked like this years ago.

@tonybennscat I also wonder about undiagnosed ADHD.

I've come to realise I love habits, routines & being in control. Randomness, fly by the seat of my pants stuff, makes me very anxious.

I have a running "to do" list in my phone notes. I find it mainly comforting because I know if things are on it, I won't forget to do them. Even little things go on it such as if a friend asks me to let her know something.
I'm always amazed when people don't have a list and say they'll do something or let me know something or whatever and don't write it down. I would forget so much and in fact I do find that most people my age do too.

Thanks everyone.

You've all motivated me to make my list for today. I was feeling really tired and could tell I was going to end up wasting time.

I've managed to get 3 things done, stopping for lunch now and will carry on.