By “tech”, we suppose you could say “anything that helps you make a to-do list. When you think about it, a pen would be considered technology to people from a few thousand years ago. So be it pen, pencil, or the notes app on your phone, if it helps you make an organized to-do list, we’re counting it.

Now, with our incredible definition of technology out of the way, we will commence with the many tips, tricks, and applications that you can use to organize all of your important to-do lists.

Items You Can Use to Make Your To-Do Lists

Pen and Paper
Yes, the ancient method is – for many – the best one. Everything doesn’t need to be digitized and keeping paper files can still work wonders as long as they’re organized and you can keep up with them. We will recommend, though, that you keep your lists in a high-quality notebook; you’ll be able to keep up with it better than if they were scattered about on loose sheets or Post-It notes.

Trello (Web, macOS, iOS, Windows, Android)

This app is an easy-to-use “Kanban board” type organizational tool that allows you to compartmentalize your lists in whatever way suits your organizational needs best. There is a Business Class plan for $9.99 a month (that comes with unlimited boards and lets you add attachments as large as 250MB), but you can also use the free plan which has unlimited boards and add attachments as large as 10MB.

Planners
Here’s a method that’s both high and low-tech as you have physical and digital planners to choose from. If you like the idea of writing what you need to do and would like a physical copy, then opt for the notebook version. If you work better with digital lists, then you have your pick of planners; Microsoft Planner is just one of them and it lets you share your lists among a group of people.

MeisterTask (Web, macOS, iOS, Windows, Android)
MeisterTask is fairly similar to Trello, in that it uses boards to help you keep organized. It’s highly automated so anytime you move tasks around, you trigger functions like sending emails and changing calendar dates. You’re able to see every task that you’re in charge of in your personal dashboard, regardless of what project they’re attached to which makes it great for team-oriented workplaces.

How to Keep Your Lists Organized

You’ve got your list of list-making items – now, we’re going to tell you what you can do to use those items most effectively. Even though you know what you can use to make lists, it doesn’t automatically mean that those lists will be effective. To prevent that, read on and see what we have to share with you.

Choose the Right Time to Make your List
This might seem like some arbitrary thing that we’re just throwing at you but deciding when to make your list is very important. A good rule of thumb is to plan what you need to put on it the night before. For example, decide what needs to be on the list Monday night and when Tuesday rolls around, write/type out your list.

Choose Either Digital or Pen and Paper
Some people feel more comfortable using a pen and paper to make their lists, and that’s completely fine. If you’re one of those people, then it might be better to stick to that method. A lot of what method works best for you is psychological; many people feel that having a physical list (like a notebook) adds more weight – that is to say, that the tasks on the list are of great importance. You should really put some thought into how well you work with physical lists as opposed to digital.

Keep Tasks Segmented
Having a spiraling list like what Santa carries around is actually very unhelpful. It’s just going to feel like a huge mountain of tasks that you still have to do and it’s really difficult to imagine getting everything done. Just writing a bunch of things into one large group of items makes your list pointless. A good way to keep everything organized is to keep them segmented. Separate things by priority and you should be good to go.

May this assortment of list-making apps and items serve you well in your organizational endeavors. If there’s a to-do list maker that we haven’t named that you think is a good fit for all the other folks reading this, please share it in the comments below! Stay safe out there and keep healthy, everyone!