What Does Your "To-Do" List Say About You?

Almost everyone has a "to-do list," whether it's written down on paper or simply carried around mentally every day. In fact, most people spend a considerable amount of time each day thinking about their list of things to do, as well as worrying that they won't get them done on time. If you want to learn a little bit about yourself, it can be helpful to take a closer look at the things on your "to-do list." In fact, after you gain a bit more understanding about your list and your personal tendencies, you might just find that you'll even be more effective at getting some of your tasks done.

The "Dreamer"

Do you have a lot of "big ideas" on your to-do list? If you tend to be a dreamer, it's likely that your list contains a lot of big ideas and lofty plans for the future. Although many of your ideas may be good ones, you may find that you never seem to get started on them. Constantly putting your best ideas off "until later" might even be one of your biggest sources of underlying frustration.

If you tend to have big dreams and ideas on your list of things to do, try looking for at least a few things that you can start on now. Even if you just get a few of your plans out of your head and onto a piece of paper, you'll feel better. As an added bonus, you'll probably find that once you get an idea out of your head and into the preliminary planning stages, you'll be more likely to carry it through to completion.

The "Procrastinator"

Does your list include a huge number of both large and small tasks? If this is the case, it could be a sign that you are a procrastinator. If you're constantly putting things of until later, after a while they can really start to stack up. Unfortunately, once you get too many things on your "to-do list," it can be easy to start viewing the entire process as hopeless.

If you've procrastinated in the past, vow to change your ways in the future. If you find yourself worrying about a lot of unfinished tasks, chances are you're trying to maintain and remember a long mental list of things you need to do. You'll probably find that you'll feel better if you just take the time to write your list down. Once it's written down, it will be easier to organize your tasks efficiently and get started. Additionally, you'll probably feel a lot less stressed, due to the fact that you won't have to constantly worry that you're forgetting something that you need to do.

The "Creative Thinker"

If you find yourself always coming up with new creative ideas and projects that you'd like to try, chances are you are a true creative thinker. Although creativity can be a great thing, you'll never get anything done if all you do is think about your ideas. Instead, try working on only one or two ideas at a time. By focusing your attention on fewer tasks and ideas, you'll stand a much better chance of getting an idea off of your "to-do list" and onto your list of completed projects.