#Strategy: 5 Reasons Your To-Do Lists Aren’t Working For You…Lists can Change your Life if you Use Them Correctly. It Seems so Simple to Write a List But There’s Actually a Right Way & Wrong Way to Do it If you Want to Be Successful

Over half of all Americans admit to feeling overwhelmed, according to a study by the Family and Work Institute. Most people say they feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done.

But according to Paula Rizzo, life doesn’t have to be that way. She says that the secret to improving productivity and reducing stress is all about making effective lists.

Rizzo is an Emmy award winning television producer and founder of the productivity site ListProducer.com. She’s also the author of Listful Thinking: Using Lists to be More Productive, Highly Successful and Less Stressed.

Rizzo says she’s been able to create a healthy work-life balance by staying organized with lists. “Lists can change your life if you use them correctly. It seems so simple to write a list but there’s actually a right way and wrong way to do it if you want to be successful,” she says.

Whether you’re creating your daily to-do list, or you’re listing the items you want to pack for your upcoming vacation, there are a few common list-making mistakes that will keep your lists from being effective. I asked Rizzo to share the most common list-making problems and the best strategies for creating lists that will skyrocket productivity. Here are her tips for overcoming the biggest list-making problems:

1. Problem – You Mix Your Lists

Keep separate lists for different areas of your life. If you need to pick up a new toothbrush and want to write a book — these things don’t belong on the same list. Create a home to-do list, a work to-do list and a bucket list that are separate from each other. This way when you look at each list you’ll know exactly what you’ll find there and won’t need to waste time deciphering and prioritizing. Having separate lists is the best way to spring into action and get things done.

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2. Problem – You Misplace Your Lists

Get a system and stick to it. If you’re always using receipts and envelopes for your list making you may need to streamline your process. Create a dedicated spot to capture all your to-dos. It’s just like leaving your keys in the same place every day so you can find them. Keeping your lists where you can access them quickly will make all the difference. Maybe it’s a small pad that you keep in your bag or sticky notes that you keep with you on the go. Or it could be time to go digital and try some apps to maintain your to-dos. Evernote, Wunderlist and Clear are good ones to start with.
3. Problem – You Have Never-Ending Lists

Make a daily to-do list where you prioritize each item. Determine which tasks need to be dealt with first and put those on a separate list that you’ll use to get through the day. Make sure you only put things on your list that you have the time and resources to accomplish on that day. Having a smaller list will set you up for small wins that will boost your confidence and keep you moving from task to task.

4. Problem – The Same Items Keep Popping Up

Outsource it or get rid of the item all together. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Look at your list and figure out which items could be given to someone else to take care of for you. Being able to delegate items will free you up to do the tasks that make you money or bring you joy. Also there are tasks that keep popping up on your list that you will never do and that’s OK. Give yourself permission to cross those off forever and move on. It’s OK if you don’t learn to speak Italian.

5. Problem – Your Lists Make You Anxious

Rewrite your list. Chances are the disorder of your list is making you feel flustered. Organize your list one day at a time or hour by hour. Try a few different types of list techniques (by day, by project, by deadline) and see which one sticks. The important thing is to give it a try for at least five days before dropping it for the next system.

For more tips on how to create organized lists that will keep you motivated and accountable, visit Paula’s website or check out Listful Thinking.

Amy Morin is a psychotherapist and the author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, a bestselling book that is being published in more than 20 languages.

Forbes.com | May 12, 2015 | Amy Morin