Have you ever heard of running to-do lists? They just might solve some of your Bullet Journal woes. Check out the pros and cons and decide for yourself!
The Pros and Cons of Running To-Do Lists
Do you ever find yourself migrating items on your to-do list from one day or week to the next, but you haven’t actually had the time to do them? That’s really common. One method of avoiding such frequent migrations is to keep running to-do lists. Today, I’ll show you how that might work, and I’ll discuss some of the pros and cons of adopting running to-do lists.
What are Running To-Do Lists?
A running to-do list is a list full of items, generally without a deadline. Tasks that might be added to the list include minor household repairs, projects you’d like to start, or any other item you will “get to eventually.” The point of having a running to-do list is to have a place for all the things you want to get done, but haven’t had time to complete yet. Since these items don’t have a deadline or specific time frame, they tend to be frequently migrated or forgotten. When deciding whether or not a running to-do list is for you, refer to the pros and cons listed below.
Pros of the Running To-Do List
- Removes clutter from daily or weekly to-do lists
- Provides a place for miscellaneous tasks
- Allows you to prioritize more important tasks
- Having a cleaner, more concise daily to-do list allows you to feel more productive
- These tasks will not be forgotten
- Less waste of time, effort, and ink since constant migration is no longer necessary
Cons of the Running To-Do List
- Gives you an excuse to remove tasks from your to-do list that you SHOULD do, but CAN put off
- Allows you to avoid these tasks as long as possible
- Promotes procrastination and task avoidance
- A lengthy running to-do list can be intimidating and cluttered
Lay Down Some Ground Rules for Your Lists
If you decide to implement running to-do lists, always remember to lay down some ground rules first. For example, I do not allow time-limited tasks to be put on my running to-do list. If there is a deadline, the task will get migrated and rewritten on my daily to-do list as many times as I need to in order to get it done.
When it comes to creating these rules, they are entirely up to you; the goal is to avoid procrastination and task avoidance without crazy clutter and constant migration of unimportant tasks. I hope that gives you a better understanding of running to-do lists, how they work, and how you might implement one in your own journaling routine. But enough from me–Let’s hear from you!
What are your thoughts on running to-do lists? Do you use them? What would you add to the pros and cons list? Let me know in the comments below!
