A printable to do list that shows what you actually did
Short answer: The best to do list template is short. It has 3 must do items you score 1 or 0, a small section for everything else and a line for tomorrow's first task. Print the template below, fill it in each morning and score it at night. The score shows you what you really got done, which a long list never does.
Why most to do lists don't work
A to do list records what you wanted to do. It never makes you look at what you did.
"Workout." "Finish report." "Send proposal." "Work on business." Everything looks important and everything looks possible. Then the day ends, half of it moves to tomorrow and you rewrite the list. Maybe you color code it. Maybe you tell yourself tomorrow will be cleaner.
The fix is to add a scoreboard. Three items get a score. Everything else is optional. That one change turns a wish list into a record.
The free printable: daily to do list with a scoreboard
Free printable to do list. Right click or long press to save it, then print.
Save the image and print it, or copy the table below onto paper or into Word or Google Docs. Prefer another layout? Here is a free one-page daily planner.
Must do today | Done means | Score (1 or 0) |
|---|---|---|
1. ______________ | ______________ | ___ |
2. ______________ | ______________ | ___ |
3. ______________ | ______________ | ___ |
Also today (not scored) | ______________ | Total: ___ / 3 |
Tomorrow's first task: ______________
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How to use this to do list template (5 steps)
Pick 3 must do items. The three things that make the day count. Small enough to survive a normal bad day.
Write what done means. "Train 30 minutes," not "lose weight." "60 minutes of focused work," not "grow the business." Here's more on why you should define done before you start.
Put everything else under "Also today." Do it if there's time. It doesn't get a score.
Score it at night. 1 or 0. No partial credit and never score the intention. Planned the workout but didn't go? That's a 0.
Write tomorrow's first task. One verb plus one object, using the One Verb rule. Your morning starts already decided.
A filled in example week
Say your three must dos are focused work, a workout and one avoided task. Use the same three for seven days. A week might score like this:
Monday 3/3. Tuesday 2/3. Wednesday 1/3. Thursday 2/3. Friday 3/3. Saturday 2/3. Sunday 2/3. Total: 15/21.
Now you have something real to improve. You can see which item keeps dropping and whether your system survives a Wednesday. If one item scores 0 most days, it's probably too big. Shrink it, or delete one promise before you add another.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between a checklist and a to do list?
A checklist is the same steps every time, like a packing list. A to do list changes every day. This template mixes both: three daily must dos plus a fixed way to score them.
How do I make a to do list in Word or Google Docs?
Insert a table with three columns: the task, what done means and the score. Add three rows for must dos and one for everything else. Print it or fill it in on screen.
How many things should be on a to do list?
Keep the scored part to three. You can list more under "Also today," but three is enough to tell you if the day counted.
What's the most effective way to write a to do list?
Start each item with a verb, give it a clear finish line and decide when it happens. Vague items like "website" get skipped.
When it keeps happening
If you keep starting the week strong and watching your standards fall apart by Wednesday, you need a structure that repeats every week instead of a fresh list every Monday.
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Write down three must dos for today, define done for each and score yesterday. Don't explain the number. Just look at it.
Keep going,
NoFluffWisdom