Inside: Make more time for the activities you actually enjoy by improving your efficiency with weekly to-do lists. I’ll show you how!
As many of you know, I’m a huge advocate for making physical lists — writing things down on actual paper with an actual pencil.
I have nothing against technology, but science proves that “using pen and paper to take notes boosts memory and the ability to retain and understand concepts.” (source)
I can’t argue with science!
This explains why rewriting my notes (multiple times) was the most effective study method for me all throughout high school and college.
When it came time for the tests and exams, I could literally visualize where the answers were within my notes. I was an excellent test taker, which served me well as a student.
Nowadays, however, I continue to write many things down — partially to help me better-remember what I need/want to do each day and each week, but also so I can enjoy the satisfaction of eventually crossing the tasks off my list (I know I’m not the only one!)
Written to-do lists have worked wonders for me over the course of my 35 years… but for the last few years, I’ve made a slight tweak in how I make my to-do lists.
I wasn’t sure I’d notice a difference, but looking back, I’m pleased (and a little shocked) with how much more efficient I’ve been as a result!
It all started the summer my 3rd child was born (2015)…
As I prepared for his arrival — and the fact that I would soon be caring for a 3-year-old, a 15-month-old, and a newborn (on top of my other housework), I knew I needed a plan.
My “plan” was to make a weekly to-do list in addition to my daily to-do lists.
Making an extra list only took a few extra minutes, but I was amazed by how much more efficient I was throughout the day (and how much “free time” I had as a result).
And yes, I realize that “free time” for a “mom of 3 under 4” seems like an oxymoron, but it truly was my reality.
Of course, not everything is smooth-sailing every day… but over the past several years, my weekly to-do lists have played a vital role in my ability to efficiently accomplish everything that needs to be accomplished each day while also enjoying a little more balance in my life.
Even after adding another child and more responsibilities around the home, my weekly to-do lists have helped me prioritize in a way my regular daily to-do lists never could.
Who wants a little of that!?!?
How I create my weekly to-do lists
At some point over the weekend (often on Sunday afternoon), I take a few minutes to think through the things I need and want to accomplish the following week.
Some of these to-dos are time-specific (an appointment, a time-sensitive meeting or event, a school-related reminder, etc.) I mark those on the appropriate date in my planner (you could do this digitally as well).
EVERYTHING else gets put on my weekly to-do list — which is essentially a running to-do list of anything that needs to happen sooner than later, but not necessarily on a specific date or at a specific time.
What my daily + weekly to-do lists look like
I have changed the layout of my planner a few times over the past decade.
I now have a daily page for my time-sensitive, more specific tasks (on the left), and a blank page for my ongoing weekly to-do list (on the right).
This layout works really well for me right now — Dave actually uses it too!
Please don’t feel like you need to purchase a planner exactly like ours to make weekly to-do lists work. You could use a spiral notebook, a whiteboard, or even a stack of post-it notes if that’s what you have on hand.
The important thing is just to keep your weekly list separated from your daily list.
Why weekly to-do lists work for me
Instead of arbitrarily allocating my non-time-sensitive tasks to various days of the week, I now group them all together and I can pick and choose which tasks I complete based on the amount of time or energy I have at any given point during the week.
If the kids are working on a craft, I know I have at least 10-15 minutes to do work on a quick project like cleaning out a drawer in the fridge or wiping down a bathroom counter/sink.
If they’re playing nicely together outside, I can weed the garden or sweep out the garage. And if a grandparent stops by unexpectedly to play with the kids, I can work on a blog post or make a few phone calls (things I can’t do with 4 kiddos around).
All of the examples I mentioned above need to be tackled at some point, but not necessarily on a specific day or at a specific time. By lumping them together on one weekly to-do list, I’m able to do the tasks that make the most sense on any given day.
Examples of weekly to-dos:
- clean the bathrooms
- make one meal for the freezer
- weed the planting bed by the fence
- wash the kids’ sheets
- write a blog post for the following week
- sweep out and declutter the garage
- email the insurance company with a question
- schedule dentist/doctor appointments
- post items to sell on FB Marketplace
Any of the tasks listed above can be completed on any day of the week. By putting them on a weekly to-do list, I give myself the freedom to pick and choose which task fits best into my current daily schedule (or even just which task I’m more in the mood to tackle).
My personal goal is to cross off one or two things from my weekly list each day – in addition to my daily to-do list, which includes tasks like:
- make the bed
- pack lunches
- start a load of laundry
- pick up a prescription
- bake cookies for school
- make dinner
- wash dishes
- clean out the dishwasher
- attend a meeting at 7pm
Could a weekly to-do list work for you?
It might… but it might not!
How’s that for being honest!?
I am (and have always been) someone who thrives on “working ahead”. I naturally set self-induced goals and deadlines for myself. I love finding a better, faster, more efficient way to do everything.
I rarely procrastinate.
That said, if you tend to put things off until “later”, a weekly to-do list might mean spending all day Saturday trying to catch up after a week of not doing very much.
Also, if you aren’t great at looking ahead or planning in advance, a weekly to-do list might not work as well for you.
BUT… in my humble opinion, it really can’t hurt to give it a try for a few weeks.
Who knows, you might find yourself more productive and more efficient than ever before!
A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.
Albert Einstine
Improved Efficiency = More Time for the things I love.
As the years tick by, I realize more and more that efficiency is no longer my end-all goal (can you believe it!) However, I still appreciate the ability to work efficiently at mundane tasks so I can devote extra time to activities I enjoy more.
I certainly hope you don’t picture me running around like a crazy mom, just trying to cross off a certain number of to-do’s each week.
Yet, at the same time, there are things that need to happen for our home, family, and life to run smoothly.
Why not do those things as efficiently as possible… right?
A weekly to-do list maximizes my efficiency as I’m able to choose the tasks that best fit my current time allotment. I don’t waste time in between activities. I don’t run short on time and end the day with multiple half-finished to-dos (one of my least favorite things!)
NOTE: if you’re not sure how long various tasks take to complete, you might consider timing yourself (yes, I’m serious, it really works!)
Of course, there’s never one “right way” to do anything.
Some will thrive with a weekly to-do list, others will completely hate it, and many will fall somewhere in the middle.
If your weeks have felt a bit scattered, if your days feel too full, I encourage you to give a weekly to-do list a try. It’s such a simple “tool” that has made a profound impact on my life over the past several years.
I hope you enjoy similar results!
I’d love to know…
Do you use weekly to-do lists?
If so, what has been the biggest benefit for you?
Toni says
Where and how do you list your daily to dos, like make your bed etc? Do you have a separate little notebook or pad?
Andrea says
Hey Toni!
I don’t actually write all those little things down — I know I will make the bed every day, I know I’ll make dinner every day, I know I’ll pick up the house before the kids go to bed… so I don’t take the time to write them down every day.
I currently only use a paper planner (no lists or notes or digital calendars or wall calendars) Just me and my planner 🙂
Toni says
Okay thank you so much! I’m too scared to not write on a daily list to feed the dogs, cats, fish and bunnies cause I will forget! Somebody will starve. I often have 12-15 (run here, run there, pickup rx) things on my daily to do list and I would love to get rid of it and just use a weekly planner but I can’t seem to manage it. I feel lost without the daily but I hate it.
Thank you again
Andrea says
I do write out things I need to do for dinner or non-daily tasks — but things like “make the bed” that I do instinctively the moment I wake up don’t make my list (but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t put them on your list!)
Kristy says
Do you have a link where this particular planner can be found?
Andrea says
yes, I think I link to it at the end of the post (under “my planner”) but here it is again: https://www.personalplanner.com/US/
I’ve been using this planner for roughly 8 years now and love it!
Jackie says
Do you have a link for where this planner can be purchased?
Andrea says
yes, I think I link to it at the end of the post (under “my planner”) but here it is again: https://www.personalplanner.com/US/
I’ve been using this planner for roughly 8 years now and love it!
Andy says
For items your waiting on that are not done, do you label them any differently?
Andrea says
I don’t — but you totally could. I just keep a running list and cross things off as they are finished. Anything that’s not crossed off is “fair game” for that day’s to-dos.
When I flip the page over for a new week, I will transfer any undone to-dos and move them to a fresh list for the next week.
Liane says
I may have mentioned this in the past but I’ve tried and deleted a few apps that did not work for me. I tried a version of flylady that actually was the source of her method and I couldn’t stand her syrupy approach, and then I found Home Routines. It’s an app for iOS but I’m worried it won’t survive the iOS 14 release. It hasn’t been updated in ages. I like it for four reasons:
1. It’s easy to print a routine (list of repeaty jobs) for delegating.
2. It’s flexible to allow assigning rooms or groups of rooms to a ‘zone’ for the farther apart tasks than weekly. It allows each day to cover rooms, or it can use the fly lady system which doesn’t work too well if the goal is to have 4 zones, repeating every four weeks. But there’s a way to do that too! Just make them manual.
3. By creating an online back up you can sync across ALL your Apple devices so when a task is checked off on an iPad it shows checked off on the phone or computer.
4. Best of all. If your desire is to perform a certain task or group of tasks you can set the app to remind you, either by making a little melody or my absolute fav – a haptic visual reminded on my Apple Watch. One example is to gather all the trash and transfer it to the big curbside toter. Our trash day was Thursday for 32 years. They annoyingly changed it to Tuesday for about 6 months, then to Monday. I’m not good at forgetting old good habits. For 32 years I gathered trash on Wednesday night, the same day I washed the kitchen waste basket. I still can’t get my head around washing a trash can on Sunday, our day of rest and reflection so I continue washing it on Wednesday and the reminder delivered silently at 7 pm after dinner to gather the trash has saved me a many morning out side dragging the toter down the driveway while in my bathrobe when I hear the trash truck approach.
Paper lists for me didn’t work for two reasons — I’d move them around and lose them, or they would be elsewhere when I’d think of something I needed to do and then I’d go to write it down only to have forgotten why I went there in the first place! Now, I just tell Alexa to add it to my to do list, and that way I can do it from any room in the house without looking for a pen that works or the darn list!
Debbie says
I think this is a brilliant idea! I usually have something like this but I don’t write it down. The other side of it is when I flop a task on my daily to-do-list some of those things don’t get done because I know it’s not time sensitive. It gets pushed on future days and somehow doesn’t get done that week. I’ll need to try this and see how if this will work for me.
Andrea says
oh Debbie — you totally need to WRITE these things down! Your brain will feel so much freer, I’m positive! 😉
Shiralee says
Wow, Andrea, I had to smile when I read this blog post because this is exactly what I do each week and it works really well for me. Having a weekly running list allows me some flexibility to get my tasks done throughout the week without everything being overly scheduled.
Shiralee
Andrea says
yay — great minds think alike I guess!
And yes, the weekly list creates so much flexibility in my schedule — I just love it!
Paulette says
I think this will work wonderfully. I have daily routines written down, but I need to add space for random things that pop up. Thank you for the idea, Andrea!
Andrea says
You’re welcome Paulette!
I think this might be an excellent option for your random to-dos that pop up throughout the week/month. Give it a try!
Ann says
Yes, I use weekly lists & group them according to category:
• Calls to make
• Kitchen
• Office work
• Outside work (yard, garden, etc)
• Other
I do so much better if I have a WRITTEN list!
Andrea says
I’m with you on the WRITTEN list! I need to be able to quickly glance at it in 2 seconds — not take 20 seconds to pull out my phone, “unlock” the phone, find my list, scroll, etc… all the while risking getting distracted by a text message or email!
Barbara says
I tend to make a Monday list and call it “Monday and this week.”
I put the most important things at the top of the list, or if I don’t think of something crucial at first, I list it later with asterisks or exclamation points beside it. !
My lists have notes written at the top right of the page to remind me of appointments or guests coming on particular days. I just ordered a planner from LANG to neaten things up a bit.
It feels so good to cross things off the list! I think getting things done is my favorite thing to do.
Andrea says
oh I LOVE this!
I might just have to start my own “Monday and this week” list tomorrow 🙂
Kerri says
I do something similar. I make a wish list. Things I wish I could get done. Then I do them as I have time.
Andrea says
love this idea — a “wish list” sounds more fun than a “weekly to-do list”!
Lane Ciborowski says
Hi Andrea! Do you write down your repetitive daily to dos, such as making dinner and washing dishes? Thanks so much!
Andrea says
HI Lane.
No, I do not always write the every-day type of things on my list. I do, however, often write if I need to prep something specific for dinner, get an ingredient or part of the meal from the freezer, or buy something specifically for our meal. But things like “make my bed” or “wash the dishes” are just sort of a “given” so they don’t go on my list.
Lane says
That makes sense! Thank you so much!
Monica Leite says
That was one of my questions as well, thank you both for asking and answering. 😉
Margaret says
I’m in the process of making a new life, since I have JUST (as of September 1) retired. I had spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted to do every day–I am prone to depression, and need to have a structure to my day–but have wondered a bit how to account for the things that need to be done, but not daily.
This could easily be the answer; a weekly list of stuff that needs to be done at some point. I’ll probably knock it off early so it won’t be hanging over me. All the time I was working I kept daily to-do lists and planned all that stuff in–it was always more difficult because I worked nights and slept days, so anything that had to be done during normal business hours required planning ahead. Now I’m sleeping nights like a real person, and awake when normal people are answering their phones, and I just need to make sure stuff gets done.
Annette Silveira says
Congratulations on retirement. Enjoy!
Andrea says
wow — 2 days into retirement — congratulations!!
And, as I mentioned in another comment, you really don’t need to think of this as a “weekly” to-do list if that feels overwhelming. It could also be a sort of “ongoing to do list” with a running list of everything you want to tackle eventually. You can pick away at it as you have time in retirement — while still making plenty of time for fun and leisure.
Enjoy your more relaxed schedule!
Annette Silveira says
I’ve never used a weekly to-do list. I have daily lists and I’m good at getting things done. I have a planning session on Thursdays, so today I will make a weekly list. I’m excited!
Andrea says
I love that you have planning sessions every week — I’m certain that makes a huge difference for your overall productivity and peace of mind! Good for you!
Leslie Polokonis says
Andrea,
Great post! How do you set realistic weekly goals? I am usually overly optimistic about what I’ll get done.
What about the pool?!?!
Leslie
Andrea says
honestly, I think this is just a skill that comes with time (sorry, that’s not a great answer). I’ve spent so many years setting goals and learning what I can and can’t accomplish in a specified amount of time, that it comes really natural to me now.
That said, you can sort of think of your weekly goals as an on-going list (maybe even monthly to-do list) so even if you don’t accomplish them in one week, they can just bump to the next week. For example, I wanted to paint a room in our outbuilding last week, but due to the CRAZY heat and humidity, I decided to push it off until this week — but now we’re having somewhat unexpected construction all around this outbuilding, so I bumped it (yet again) to next week.
It really doesn’t matter at all when it happens, so long as it happens eventually.
All of that to say, even if you don’t tackle your list completely in one week, it doesn’t mean you “failed” or were too ambitious. Just move the items to the next week and keep plugin’ along!
Leslie Polokonis says
That’s what usually happens…things get bumped. Maybe I will try keeping an ongoing master list of to-do’s and then making a more realistic weekly to do list. That way, I can free up my brain for other things. Thank you.
Andrea says
yes, let the list be ongoing — don’t stress about undone tasks on your weekly list because they aren’t usually that time-sensitive.
Do whatever you can to free up your brain! 🙂
Liane says
Leslie,
After many disagreements over whose job it was to net the leaves out of our pool we decided it was too stressful to keep. Between the neighbors kids throwing dirt clods over the fence, the other neighbors trees growing tall and causing a huge amount of leaves and shade, the added expense of heating it due to reduced sunlight and the final straw the city adding chloramines to the very hard well water we have which as a pool owner you may recognize as unacceptable, the pH was 8. Lowering it caused calcium salt deposits which trashed the pump and filter…so we jack hammered it out, brought in free dirt, and planted a lawn. No more pool fights and the lawn requires less water to keep it green that the pool did to top it off daily. One daily to-do now permanently checked off. Weekly mowing is something I actually enjoy doing. We fight over who gets to mow!
Andrea says
haha — I love this!
We actually just had a pool installed last week but Dave has already agreed (well before we even purchased the pool) to be the “in charge” person as long as he never needs to get a summer job!
Glenda says
I am going to do this. I can already see it would work better for me. Thank you.
Andrea says
yay — I hope it DOES work for you!
Laura says
I am pretty sure I got this idea from you. I use a notepad called Make it happen that comes with three sections: Super important; Then, do this; and Chill, this can wait. I have it tucked visible on my own version of the Sunday basket (Organize 365) and use a new page every week. I started using it at the beginning of this year and love it.
Andrea says
That sounds like an awesome notepad! I told Dave that I wanted to start an online club called “the get it done club” where we can share all the projects and to-do’s we complete each day 🙂 Your “Make it Happen” note pad reminds me of this idea!
Also, I LOVE that you created your own version of the Sunday Basket! Lisa’s system is so good!
Mary Dolan says
Weekly lists have been my style for the past year and it really is a game changer. I feel like I have more freedom on any given day since it is not so tightly scheduled. My planner style is hobonichi weeks (dates on left and running list on right).
Andrea says
yes, “more freedom” exactly!
Julie says
I write To Do lists, but my are electronic and on my phone. Since I always have my phone, I can easily look at my list and see what needs doing next or what I need to buy. I’m at a different stage of life to you too. My three kids are all teenagers and one has left school and is at Uni (I’m in Australia), so I get big chunks of time to get things done. I also work outside the home, so this works for me on the weekends.
Andrea says
sounds like a great system! I honestly wish I could do more electronically. I’ve tried so many different systems and apps and tools, but I always come back to good old-fashioned paper and pencil 🙂
Enjoy your big chunks of time to get things done! That will be me in about 15 years!
Lynda says
I love this idea…. totally going to implement next week! Thank you!
Beth says
I used your daily agenda for a while but never did well with that. I really wanted it to work! I love this though. A little more structure for to do’s than my plain notebook but a compliment to my digital planner (Cozi) because I do need to physically write things down (tactile learner here!). Do you still use your agenda within this planner to do system as well?
Andrea says
Ever since I switched to the personal planner, I haven’t had much of a need for my daily agenda because I was able to customize my personal planner to do much of what the agenda did for me. There is certainly not a one-size-fits-all method for daily and weekly to-dos, so by all means, use whatever system seems to work best for you!
Jacquie says
Hi Andrea – how are you managing your longer term to do list? I am having trouble finding the relevant post but I imagine that things have changed over time. When I worked full time, I used a word doc that I wrote on during the week and updated each Friday. I no longer do that now that I am not a desk all day, but perhaps I need to work it into my weekly routine.
Andrea says
I guess I just always have my long-term todos in my brain 🙂 I’m always thinking back to what needs to be done “eventually” and then when I have a little free time, I pick one to do.
It’s not a perfect system — and you’re right, it’s always evolving and changing. I do think the weekly list could work well for helping you incorporate some of these longer-term projects into your daily routine.
Sue R says
I’m definitely going to try this! What planner do you show in this post? I like the open space at the bottom.
Andrea says
It’s called the Personal Planner. Here’s a link to the post I did about it last year: https://andreadekker.com/giveaway-personal-planner/
Amy says
I made a form of my weekly cleaning chores and then check them off as I do them. I really broke it down too, so not just clean the bathroom, but clean the sink, toilet etc. It helps me to use a few minutes here and there to get a larger job done. Also, I don’t have to remember when I cleaned something last – because I also have a daily and monthly checklist!
Andrea says
This is great Amy — thanks for sharing your system!
Erika says
I have recently started using weekly to-dos, as well! In my planner, I have a sticky note on each page titled “This Week”. That way, if something comes up during the day that I know I don’t have time for this week and isn’t an emergency but IS important (like filling out a form for a client or writing next month’s birthday cards – I’m a social worker with thirty people on my client list), I can add it to the post-it note for next week. When I sit down on Friday afternoon to plan the next week, I can look at the sticky note and slot things in between clients, when I might have a few extra minutes to knock off a task or two. And if I have an unexpected free hour (a cancellation, say), then I can look at the remaining items on my weekly to-do and see what I can accomplish in the time I have.
Being able to write things down for a specific week, but not necessarily a specific day or time, helps me to plan ahead AND helps me to feel more productive and on top of things in the moment, because I know that whatever the item is, it is on a list somewhere and will get my attention as soon as I can give it. I’m not worried about forgetting something or overloading my daily to-do with future tasks. I’ve even started keeping a “monthly to-do” for the bigger tasks, like purging files, updating information, etc.
As a social worker, lists are absolutely crucial to my wellbeing, and to ensuring I giving the best possible service to my clients. They rely on ME to remember things (many have of them have memory issues), and without lists, I would be drowning in a sea of to-dos and appointments and dates.
Thank you for your blog – you continue to inspire me with each post.
Andrea says
Thanks Erika! Your system sounds like it’s working really well for you!
Debbie says
I tend to have a weekly to do list in my head for the week, and make a daily to do list for weekend. I do like the flexibility from a weekly to do list, but definitely sucks when 90% of it goes on my weekend to do list.
Tammy says
Can I ask what notebook you are using in the picture and where you got it? I would love to start doing this. Thanks!!
Andrea says
It’s called the Perfect Planner. Here’s the link to a blog post I wrote about it last year: https://andreadekker.com/giveaway-personal-planner/
Ann says
Oops. That should read:
Personal Planner. {See Andrea’s reply to Sue R.} I use the same planner & REALLY like it!
Tracie Nall says
Andrea – I have been following your blog since Nora was first born, and have gleaned so much useful, practical and applicable information from your sharing. I have especially enjoyed the way you don’t pigeon hole people into this is the right or wrong way to approach any given task or topic. I appreciate your sharing today, and I deal with a medical condition that some days causes me to have less energy than others, so having the flexibility to “do” based on what time and my body allows is so helpful. I also appreciate the concept of writing down a weekly goal and challenging myself to accomplish it.
What a great post! So thankful you have continued to share your gift and talent with the cyber world.
Andrea says
Wow, thanks Tracie!!
I hope the weekly to-do list is helpful for you!
Erica says
I don’t make weekly to-do lists, but I do try to make daily to-do lists, especially when I have a lot of things I need to remember to do. I do like the idea of making a weekly to-do list though, I may start doing that.
JJ says
I am going to have to try that! I never thought to do it that way and often get frustrated if time doesn’t allow for something, even if it’s not time-sensitive. I have a 1 year old, a 2 year old, am 9 months pregnant and just moved this weekend! So, this system might just be key to helping me get things done without constantly moving to-do’s from one day to the next. Thanks for sharing!
Andrea says
Wow, your kiddos are even closer in age than mine are! Good luck with baby #3… I hope weekly to-do lists will work as well for you as they do for me!
Heidi says
I’ve always been a paper planner person and just COULD NOT switch to digital. While I still keep regular paper planner, I’ve switched to the Wunderlist app for my to-do lists. I teach full time, so I only have 3 to do lists “groceries”, “school to do”, and “home to do”. All my weekly to do tasks are on there and so far it’s working well. Working full time with a football coaching husband and two young kids, it’d be really easy to feel like I’m failing at getting things done, but the app seems to help me see some progress throughout the week.
Audra says
Oh my goodness! The picture of your planner was like an Aha! moment for me (or maybe a Duh! moment!)….using the band (hair tie looking thing) to hold the pages open. I have been using a binder clip. Did you switch your plastic covers around so the band is on the front cover?
Andrea says
haha, yes! I just flipped the back cover to the front to used the band to hold my pages down 🙂
Pamela says
This is exactly what I do! And I switched to this after baby #3 also.
Andrea says
Haha — must be that 3rd baby that just pushes us type A people over the edge!
Courtney says
I am a big fan of weekly to-do lists. I don’t have kids, but I do have a job that requires me to be very flexible. It would be very frustrating when I couldn’t accomplish my daily list because of a change in plans. So I went to weekly. I simply use a spiral bound notebook to write my weekly to-do, if I have a specific day a task needs done I write that beside the task. Then I make my daily list. I keep both together so if I have a little extra time I can quickly glance at both lists and see what I can get done between other things. It’s been a real sanity saver for me. 🙂
Charissa says
Hi Andrea, I loved this post! I have started a similar format for planning and have enjoyed it/found it to be helpful!