My week on one sheet: Why Do we need a tasklist? (Free printable)

Read this in: اردو (Urdu)

The new year is as a time to embrace change and prepare elaborate tasklists. . We moved from California in August. I have been trying to get into the routine of posting consistently on the blog. Tasks kept piling on. I knew I need to get a good system. But I have had a love-hate relationship with tasklists.

The fear of planning

Somehow, in my mind, I feel that sitting and writing a tasklist is a waste of time. I felt that results in taking time away from the task. After all, isn’t your brain supposed to keep a tasklist? I still don’t know exactly when I decided on that but it is an idea that is hard to get rid of.

I read the book Atomic Habits (Click to listen to the podcast review of the book here) It mentioned how your system is crucial to keeping your habit. In order to have a working tasklist, I needed a visual system. I kept procrastinating on how to make a good one.

The issue was:

• a) figuring out how to keep it in a prominent place so I would not forget it.
• b) I could not decide the best way to do it, written versus digitally, and how to do it to keep everything in place.
• But first, I had to be convinced that it helps my brain. In my search, I came across the Zeigarnik effect.

The Zeigarnik effect

Our brains are meant to process information rather than memorize checklists. Incomplete tasks tend to be remembered more easily than completed tasks. This theory was based on the observations of Lithuanian Psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik. She observed that waiters remembered incomplete orders very well and would forget the completed orders very quickly.

In practice, think about a time when your favorite TV show or Pakistani drama ended on a suspenseful note. Compare that to the last movie you watched completely. Which one are you able to recall more vividly?

The thing about tasklist is that once you write it down, it is no longer swimming in your brain so your brain feels lighter. Hence the anxiety of trying to remember these incomplete tasks is relieved.

Second, it gives you a chance to review and prioritize what needs to be done immediately and makes it more likely for you to focus on that task. David Allen, the author of the best seller book Getting Things Done, has written in detail on the importance of writing tasks in a specific actionable manner and hence developing a system for your needs.

What to do about to-do lists?

That made it clear that tasklist works. I tried finding a format that was practical. I ordered a dry erase monthly planner from amazon and ended up using it for just about one week. But I realized that is a clue to what can work.

Completing a task and checking it off gives you a feel-good (Dopamine) boost. But can you boost your efficiency by doing multiple tasks simultaneously?

The multitasking myth

With the multiple demands on our time, multitasking can seem like an attractive option. But recently Sumbul and I hosted an IG live where we talked about the evidence scientifically of why that is not such a good idea.

If you are not following us on IG live, we do a weekly session where we discuss interesting thought-provoking ideas and would love to have you join us to share your input. To join, you have to make sure that you are following Sumbul and me on Instagram. Here is the link for Urdukacove and Eidforever. Once you follow, you can join the live session. We do an IG live every Tuesday at noon Eastern time (10 pm Pakistan time)

You can watch the video of the multitasking Iive session on Youtube. Here is the link. All the previous sessions are also saved on my IG page. So check it out when you get a chance.

Format of tasklist

We all have different preferences when it comes to making a task list. Mainly, I would consider these three formats.

Printout or written tasklist

Best utilized as a notebook or a printable page that can be filled out at the beginning of each week. It has the benefit of being tangible and simultaneously it creates a record of tasks completed. Incomplete tasks can be reassessed as well.

Digital tasklist

With so many digital tools, there are plenty of apps that let you form virtual task lists. But there is also another format that makes it more fun and you can practice your Urdu typing as well.

It is called a digital editable format. You just download the file and type in the fields. These can be edited as many times as you like so no need for a printer or storing the sheets. The files can be saved separately when you make a copy for each week.

Dry erase sheets (with magnetic backing)

Finally, this is the format that works best for me. I love seeing a list of weekly tasks in front of me in a prominent place. The kitchen is a high-traffic area so it becomes easy to jot down important tasks. Additionally, it gives me a place to jot down grocery list items. The dry erase is just my favorite part and helps the kids help out as well.

Adding the touch of Urdu

Living in an environment with limited Urdu materials, I keep looking for ways to keep using Urdu. In fact, the areas of the brain that process speech are separate from the area that is involved in writing. So finding ways to keep writing in Urdu has a different effect on your brain.

Printable weekly tasklist in Urdu

I came up with a weekly tasklist printable with the days of the week in Urdu and a space for writing your weekly grocery list. It is available as a free printable in the resource library. Please make sure you are signed up for the newsletter to get the password for the resource library and enjoy the free printable. Click here if you need to sign up.

I also have the editable digital file available separately for you to download and use how you want. Sign up to get a link for that.

Using this file, I was able to create a magnetic dry erase sheet that I have been using at home. Would you be interested in having one available for purchase? If you are, please let me know and I can hopefully figure out a way to do so.

What other Urdu printables are you interested in? Let me know in the comments below.

Read this in: اردو (Urdu)