If you don't like lists or reminders, that's fine — everybody's brain works in different ways, and what's effective for someone else might be totally useless to you!
It's true that reminders and lists are popular with a lot of people as a method of staying organised, but it's not the only way of doing things. If they don't work for you, I'd suggest getting into a routine as an alternative.
Why A Routine Might Work Where Lists and Reminders Don't
Lists and reminders nag you, and if you find that as counterproductive as I do, getting into a routine might be of help.
This way, you're not being "told" what to do, and therefore there's less pressure on you. I always find that I work better when I get myself into a routine.
For example, rather than have a pop-up telling me to do the dishes, or read something for class, or do some work, I'll get into a rhythm of doing these things at certain times of day. I clean the dishes as soon as dinner is over, try to read for class during the day, and work after dinner.
Unfortunately, routines alone aren't enough to keep you organised if you're a busy person, as they don't help with any of the following:
- Appointments and one-off events
- Remembering things
- Times when your routine is disrupted
Besides, you have to get used to a routine before it works, and if you miss one thing, it's quite easy for the whole routine to fall into chaos!
I personally find that to-do lists, broken up into tiny subtasks, work really well when combined with routines.
Break up the big things that you have to do, and you'll find it much easier to stay organised!
