Creating an Effective To-Do List: Lessons from CPU
The productivity letter v.4
Why don’t we learn from computers?
Have you ever wondered how computers efficiently manage processes despite their limited memory? I first encountered this concept during my university operating system course last semester, and I was genuinely fascinated by how algorithms optimize system memory. This fascination inspired me to apply a similar algorithm to real-life situations, and the results have been remarkably rewarding.
I experimented with this approach myself, alongside some of my fellow students, and it consistently proved to be a productive method. I am confident that this approach can also benefit you, and I encourage you to share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section.
The primary objective of a to-do list is to bring order and structure to your day. Our minds often struggle to organize tasks effectively, which is why it’s crucial to jot them down. The simple act of listing tasks can significantly enhance the organization of your daily life.
This method is mostly used when you have too much compulsory task , but still want to attend to some important tasks craving for your attention . It is most useful for university students, but can be used by anyone i.e university.
Note: Before proceeding with the instructions, you can download the visual planner for free at ( https://selar.co/k307t2 ) to get a better understanding.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Empty Your Mind onto Paper: Avoid the mental juggling of tasks. Instead, gather all the tasks you believe you need to accomplish the next day and place them in the “mind box.” You can also have a weekly to do list in which you can pull out tasks from.
2. Prioritize and Organize: With your mind cleared, you can now concentrate and tackle the puzzle on paper. Identify the most important tasks that will boost your productivity (for further insights, refer to my previous newsletter) and allocate them to the “workspace” section, also indicating approximately how much time you would need to complete the task.
3. Allocate Fixed Hours: Start by marking the hours already committed to compulsory activities like lectures, mandatory church services, personal prayers, exercise, and night prayers.
4. Fill Your Day: This step is crucial. It involves assigning specific tasks to each time slot. Two models have been tested: the “first fit” and the “best fit.”
- First Fit: This model entails searching for the first available time block that can accommodate a task. The search begins at the top of your schedule and progresses sequentially until a suitable time block is found. While this approach is viable, it may result in time fragmentation and unaccounted minutes. However, it can work well in certain situations.
- Best Fit: The best fit model assigns a task to the smallest available time block that can accommodate it. This minimizes time fragmentation and ensures efficient time utilization. It’s often the preferred choice but not always suitable. I recommend trying both models and selecting the one that suits your needs.
Note: Maintain flexibility in your schedule, as these models do not account for factors such as your location. Make sure you also allocate time to rest.
Now, you’re prepared to take action. Feel free to adjust your schedule during the day if you encounter a compelling reason to do so. You can also calculate your productivity score by dividing the number of tasks completed by the total number of tasks and multiplying by 100.
I’m eager to see how you create your to-do lists and hear your thoughts and questions in the comments section.
