How to Make and Effectively Break Down Your Master to Do List (MTDL)

Getting Started

Step 1: Choose your format and tools

Choose the best tools for you. A simple pen and paper to compile an initial list is the best place to start. 

Step 2: Consider Portability

Personally, I have moved from the basic method of using a pen and notebook to using the notes section on my phone, as this is the most accessible and portable option for me. To be totally honest, the kids kept drawing on my notepads and lists, so using my phone was my best bet. Whatever format you choose, you want to make sure you can access it easily because any time a to-do pops up in your head, you want to jot it down. 

Step 3: Create the Initial List, aka Brain Dump

We write down All The Things we want to get done. Now is the time we write down EVERYTHING, and I mean everything, no matter how big or small the task or need may seem. Once you’ve done that, walk around your home with your list and look for things you would like to do or get done. I even had my husband create his list and do a walk-around separately. I found that sharing our lists was helpful to us in jogging our memories of things we discussed in the past and might have missed when writing out our lists individually.  

Step 4: Now Create the Master List

In case you missed it in the blog post before this one, there is one rule to having a “Master to-do List,” and that one rule is you only categorize what you want to accomplish and truly believe in achieving for the year. Yes, that's correct; in one year's time, and this is the rule of one! Ultimately, this separates the Brain Dump from our intentional and actionable MTDL. This added step helps us understand that our intent here is not to create a wishlist but an actual list of tasks to be completed. So, put a little asterisk (*) next to these high-priority tasks and list those tasks you deem manageable within this time frame. Doing this may take a little time, but that’s okay. Take your time, narrow it down, and notice that some things may be of higher priority than others. This process is necessary, as it will help us with the lists to follow.

Step 5: Create Personal Categories

It’s now time to create categories for your MTDL so that you can categorize this list to simplify future tasks. Please don’t get overwhelmed here, as this step is personal to each of us. You want to group tasks into categories based on aspects or parts of your life that best fit your lifestyle. You only need to do this once or as your lifestyle changes. For example, if you are a MAGIC mama like me who also attends school to get your certification or degree, you may need a category titled school. If you own a business, you may need a business category; you decide based on your needs. The non-negotiable categories on this list embody the Core 4: self, health, home, and family. Note: It is also helpful to try having no more than 5-7 categories total.

Here’s What This May Look Like:

• 🩷 Self- Include anything related to your personal development (Ex. Read a book per month).

• 💚 Health- Includes appointments, diet, exercise 

• 🧡 Home- Your physical home environment or anything household-related. 

• ❤️ Family- All family-related, Spouse Children, Extended family, etc. (Ex. Annual family vacation planning, scheduled date nights).

• 💙Work/Business- Yes, this includes us, SAHM, WAHM, Mompreneurs, or anything in between.

• 💛 School- Register for classes

Step 6: Organize It

Time to move everything around on your MTDL under your chosen personal categories for your lifestyle. i.e., Self, Health, Home, Family, Work, etc. 

Step 7: The Monthly Break Down

Now, you will pull from your categorized list of tasks and take from it what you will accomplish that month. Note: Observing this list at the end of every month and having it outlined for the upcoming month is helpful. 

Step 8: Weekly To-Do List

Breaking down your tasks further ensures that you take actionable steps, and we do this by establishing a weekly to-do list. This list is where you will visually see things laid out in your planner or calendar. Simply glance over your list created from your Monthly Break Down (Step 7) at the beginning of each week and pull out tasks that need to be completed for the week ahead. Now, with everything that needs to happen weekly written down, you can efficiently work through the necessary tasks.

Step 9: The Daily Focus

From here, you can pick a specific number of things you want to focus on daily. Let’s say that there are ten tasks you wish to accomplish that day. Choose three that you feel are most important and need to get done for that day out of those ten tasks. For the weeks ahead, you will again prioritize three daily specific tasks, and if you complete those three things and nothing else on your list, consider yourself productive that day. And this, mama, is how we bring effective productivity into our lives while also giving ourselves some grace. 

OVERVIEW: It is all about Effective Productivity! Let’s face it; although a Brain Dump allows us to get things out of our heads and onto paper, it cannot propel us from being stuck to getting it all done. On its own, it's just a very overwhelming list and nothing more. Our MTDLs, however, are more intentional and designed to guide us strategically through our goals. 

Creating Your MTDL Breakdown

Brain Dump All the things from your head onto paper

Master List: What I plan to accomplish from the dump (Must follow the rule of ONE).

Monthly List: This list is created from my personal categorized list and viewed at the end of the month to apply tasks to the upcoming month. 

Weekly List: At the beginning of each week, I go over tasks from my monthly list and put them into my planner for the week. 

Daily List: My daily list is broken down from my weekly list as this helps me accomplish necessary tasks on certain days of the week easily.