Why most TO-DO list don't work + 7 ways to grow an Organic, Dynamic, Abundant one!

Does your to-do list work for you? Or are you finding it never-ending and draining?

I'll tell you why I ditched a to-list years ago and show you what I use instead - my DAILY PLANTER!
I'll share the 7 ways it works for me, and could for you too. 

At one point in my life I was lucky enough to have three female friends in their 80s. I was struck by a similarity between them - it was a sense that, despite their age and the fact they were long retired from paid work, they carried a sense of guilt and discomfort if they weren't busy doing something. At first I considered it generational, part of the post-depression, post war, post women's liberation eras. 

But I asked myself, if these women are uncomfortable not being productive, and I feel uncomfortable not being productive, perhaps there's something more to it. Perhaps it goes deeper into the sense of self-worth and self-value? When I'm not giving my time to something or someone, what is my value?

'Time is money' can come at a cost
If you have a paid job or business, spending time not working, not producing or creating something, can actually cost you money. This is especially the case if you're paid by the hour, or by the sale!

​I'm deeply interested in this subject, both the practical and the emotional side of Feminine Productivity, which is why I created the Feminine Productivity eCourse. 

​My own journey, and the journeys I have witnessed in the women I walk beside, have shown me the need to do and create and be productive is common and innate - it's part of our nature. Productivity, seeding, planting and growing things in our lives can be incredibly satisfying and sweet. Here's one of my favourite quotes on the subject:

But for now, let's get back to the to-do list discussion...

Is your To-Do list serving you? 
What I'm interested in exploring with you here in terms of your to-do list is whether or not it's serving you, working for you. If you think of your to-do list as a tool - a LifeGardening Tool - to help you grow and cultivate your life, how is that working (or not working) for you? Do you feel a deep sense of satisfaction when you tick things off it? Do you feel excited or energised when you look at it? Do you feel empowered by it. like it's helping you cultivate what you want?
If the answer to these is a big NO, you're not alone. It's taken me years to cultivate a version that actually works for me, doesn't just 'tick things off', but feeds my needs and helps me grow the things that matter most to me.

Are you growing what matters to you?
There are things we have to do in our everyday that just have to be done; pay the bills, feed the family (and the pets), put bread on the table and bring home the bacon.  We need to meet our responsibilities to the people we work for or serve, the people we love and support. What I've come to see as my to-list organically grew and changed over these past two years, is my to-list is doing more to not only meet the essential needs and responsibilities, but to serve myself. I give my time and attention to taking action on the things that matter most to me and those I love. 
For so long my own dreams, desires and needs fell to the bottom of the list. Then I realised there is always more to do. There are always other things, other distractions and other people wanting a slice of the pie that is your time and energy. 

5 reasons most to-do lists don't work

1. It's static not dynamic and organic - The typical to-do list is just that - a list of things to do. It's one dimensional and doesn't tell a deeper story. When you look into the deeper layer's of what your asking yourself to do on the list, do you understand how much time and energy things might take? Have you broken bigger and more complex tasks down into individual steps. Just as organic matter in the garden breaks down to feed and nurture your plants, an organic to-to- list needs to be broken down into its smaller parts to feed and nurture your life. If it's too big, you probably won't do it!
2. It doesn't question Why you're doing what you're doing - It's amazing how quickly a to-do list can fill up with things, all sorts of things, without question. It just feels good and powerful to write a list, so why not write a big one, right@! That's fine as long as you see it as a 'draft' and take your time to question why things have made it to your list (more on this in the Daily Planter video below).
3. It's set up for Failure - What happens when what you've given yourself to do doesn't get done? Give yourself too much to do and you'll either burnout or feel like a failure for not doing things. Give yourself complex or difficult problems without breaking them down into simple steps will probably lead to procrastination and a sense of failure. If your to-do list remains just a list of jobs and your sense of self-worth, success and progress is measured in ticks, again, setting yourself up for failure.
4. It's about Quantity, not Quality - Want to live a deeper, richer, more meaningful life? Want to feel more joy and lightness and love in yourself and your life? Then digging deeper into your to do list is vital - to find ways to bring, feel and experience that richness. You'll have days where you're highly productive and get loads of things done. Other days, when you have a deep and meaningful conversation, gain a deeper understanding of what's been blocking you or holding you back, or help someone who truly needed a loving friend or a kind gesture. On those days what you did or didn't do won't matter as much as what you brought to a situation or a conversation - quality and presence. Time and box ticking don't matter in these moments. 
5. It doesn't include you - If a to do list doesn't create time and energy to focus on what matters to you, then what's the point? If it doesn't serve you in some way, help you take even tiny steps towards the things that matter, including looking after yourself, then it's just a list of things to do, not things to do for you. Making it work for you is super simple and I'm going to share that with you now.  ​

7 Ways to Grow an Organic + Dynamic + Abundant To-do list 

I don't refer to my Daily Planter as a to-do list, more as a Cultivation tool. I use it to: 

1. Create it 'fresh' daily - When I write my tasks for the day on the Daily Planter, I usually write it out the day before. I draw on any tasks that were missed yesterday or new priorities. I create a cultivation list of my for the week and - except for the tasks that need to be done on certain days - I can pick and choose from that list organically to suit the time and energy I have for each day. 
2. Plant and grow (prioritise) what matters most to me - The weekly Cultivation List is based on what it is I am trying to grow and cultivated in my life. When you take the tie to do some thinking about this once a week, there's a greater chance that, rather than filling your time and to do list with random things, you'll draw on what matters most to you. Remember this is organic and dynamic, so there will be days when life demands your focus on something bigger or more important. You can return to your Cultivation List later.  
3. Create or deepen connections with people that matter to me - in my personal and work life - I have room to write a 'Daily connection' on my Daily Planter. Is there someone I've been meaning to call, see or connect with that's been playing on my mind? This reminds me to shift from my busy, doing 'in the zone' to connect with others. 
4. Water what most needs attention - to meet my responsibilities - Once I have my list of tasks, things to cultivate, it usually becomes clear 'What needs watering?' I'll usually only write just one thing as the most important, sometimes two. It's the one thing that, if things get super busy, I focus on. 
5. Build rest and relaxation into my day - It doesn't happen every day, but I have a space on my Daily Planter with a question: 'When will I rest?' If my life is a garden, then I need to make sure, as the gardener, I avoid burnout and feel rested and nurtured. I usually write in a time when I plan to sit and read, meditate or nap. 
6. Keep my list short, so I can focus on doing less well - I deliberately only allow myself 7 things to do in a day, and two of those are less important than the other 5. The last two are the 'if I have time and energy' tasks. And, if I don't get a task done - which happens - I arrow it for tomorrow or another day. 
7. Plant a BE seed for the day - At the top of the Daily Planter I have what's called a 'Daily Self Seed'. The idea is that I write down, plant an Intention Seed, for how I want to be, what I want to bring and experience to the day. 

(Daily Planter video explainer below with free Daily Planter pdf download)