How to manage a to-do list?

[BL00CowWonders]

I always feel better when I can work my way through a to- do list, but I tend to ' lose' the longer term stuff.
'Getting dinner out of freezer' and 'hem ds's trousers' always overtake the longer term things that need doing, just not necessarily today - contact council over parking or clear out shed.
What does anyone else do?

I use an a4 notebook with columns for work/ house/dd/ etc and make a mega list each month. Each day I write the days jobs on an index card I can carry in my bag with the days to tos. Lots of apps you can use for annual reminders but I like paper

I think I'm more a paper girl too!

I use one of those tabbed, spiral bound notebooks that can have pages torn out easily. In the first section I write a comprehensive to-do list for the next month or so - it takes about 2-3 pages for me. Then, in the next section I do daily to-dos, the evening before, using the items from the monthly list plus the regular things like laundry or food shop as necessary. As the things get done, they get crossed out from the master list; the daily lists I tear out, but it's just because I find it neater.

After about a month, the master list is mostly crossed out, and some things have been added. I then tear out those pages and start a new, neat master list, checking that the items left over really need doing (usually you find that if it wasn't done in a month it wasn't really necessary, or you could delegate it...)
I use the remaining tabs for meal planning and project ideas, so it's the only notebook I carry with me.

I like both these ideas of a master list leading to a daily list.
I wonder how long it takes to get into a daily routine of checking and not just letting the master list slip away

I set out goals for the next day each day, week each week, month each month, quarter each quarter, year each year (at New Year), and 5 years more generally in discussion with DH. If I've done everything on my day list, I move up to the broader goal list.

I try not to have more than 5 things on any list.