Start Making Your To-do List Before Bed

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Productivity depends on planning. You have to create the right kind of to-do list, add context and deadlines to it, and find time to engage in deep work to get it all done. One detail we think less about, however, is when to create your to-do list. It might actually be helpful for you to do it in two parts: Once before bed, then again the next morning.

Why you should start writing your to-do list before bed

A lot of productivity methods ask you to start any type of planning with a brain dump of sorts, writing down every single thing you need to do so you can then organize all of it into more manageable chunks. This is a basic but important starting point that serves the purpose of transferring all the stuff you’re stressing about from your brain to a piece of paper (or digital document) so you can feel a little freer.

Instead of doing your brain dump in the morning, spend five minutes before bed writing down everything you need to do the next day. You don’t need to break any of it down into action steps, prioritize it, schedule it, or anything like that. You just need to get it all out of your head and onto the page. You’ll feel more motivated and peaceful just knowing you’re already aware of everything that needs to get done the next day, like you already have the framework of a plan in the works. Keep a notebook or journal next to your bed to make this even easier and get in the habit of doing it every night.

Don’t just take my word for it: research has shown it’s helpful. One study from 2018 says this practice can be beneficial and is easy to do, counteracting other productivity behaviors that cause “negative affect, anxiety, and rumination” before bed, provided you have the health, environment, and personality for it. Like any productivity hack, this is all subjective; what works for someone else may not work for you, but it’s always worth giving it a shot. 

Take this exercise to the next level by preparing anything you might need to tackle the tasks, like downloading a big program you’ll need for a project or putting your reusable bag by the door so you remember to take it to the grocery store. 

What to do the next day

When you wake up, you can reassess the list you made the previous night. Use a prioritization technique like the Eisenhower matrix to figure out which of the tasks are the most important and timely or a method like Getting Things Done to streamline the list and break it down into actionable steps. 

The night before is all about preparing to get it all done by getting it out of your head and allowing yourself to relax before bed. The day of is when you’ll come up with a concrete plan and get to work. Once you get in the habit of doing this, you’ll feel calmer at night, knowing you are already aware of what’s on the docket for the next day, and you’ll wake up ready to get after it.