The start of a new year brings with it a long list of to-dos — all the things you plan and hope to accomplish in the months ahead. Here is my secret system for tackling your 2022 to-do list with efficiency, ease, and enjoyment:

#1 Organize your List into Themes

Often a to-do list is a hodgepodge of tasks and a place where procrastination likes to hide — both of which lead to feelings of overwhelm and defeatism. View your 2022 list as an adventure to experience rather than obligations to endure by organizing it into four themes: Personal, Family, Home, and Work.

For example:

• Personal – lose 10 pounds, continue tennis lessons, and take dance classes.
• Family – passport renewals, TSA registrations, August vacation plans.
• Home – car inspections, clear out attic clutter, Maine house search.
• Work – law license renewals, CLE classes, update resume, 100 hours of pro bono work.

The easiest place to start is with renewals and registrations (licenses, permits, etc.), then move on to milestones (graduations, kid’s college app process, anniversary trip, etc.), and finish with aspirations and anticipated achievements (health changes, moves, etc.). Once the list is full you’ll want to further flesh it out into the months of the year by organizing according to deadlines, working backwards up the calendar instead of down.

For example:

• Under the theme Family you may have Vacation to Provence in August. Then you should write: buy vacation clothes in June, convert USD to Euros in May, save spending money in March, book hotel/house in February.

#2 Transform the Practical to Purposeful

Once you’ve brainstormed all your to-dos, and are confident you’ve got the draft full list for the year in theme and calendar order, now it’s time to give all those practical items a purposeful hue. This will help alleviate any feelings of heaviness or resistance and ensure a more ease-filled and pleasant process throughout the year. Spend time being as creative as you can about your list.

For example:

• Turn “lose 10 pounds by April” into “I feel light, fit, and amazing,” in May, “I’m dedicated to eating a plant-based diet and working out five times a week,” in January and February, and “I feel stronger, leaner, and more energetic with each passing day,” in March.
• “Fix roof” in July becomes “I’m investing in a safer, more beautiful home,” in May and June when you are putting money aside for the project and “I’ve found a trusted team to increase the value of my home,” when you’re asking for recommendations for a roofer in April.
• Even something as simple as a passport renewal in September becomes, “I look tanned, rested, and ready for travel in my passport photo” in July and “My ticket to adventure is ready,” in August as you finish completing the DS-82 form.

#3 Dance in the Delight of Accomplishment

My final two secrets to have you dancing in the delight of accomplishment are to: 1) select a theme song and 2) sprinkle rewards that you commit to only unlocking once you’ve achieved progress on the tougher stuff.

• Choose a theme song with an energetic, moving, and inspiring melody to play each time you dive into a task. John Williams soundtracks are great for this. When it’s time to call contractors for estimates, make yourself a fancy beverage and play your theme song. When you need to prepare paperwork for your taxes, start the morning with a delicious breakfast and play your theme song. When you’re headed to the dentist to get a crown, put on gorgeous heels and play your theme song. You’ll soon find that each time you hear your song, you spring into action with a renewed vigor and excitement about your life.

• The sweet satisfaction of a completed task is made that much more special when rewarded with an activity that brings joy, fun, and pleasure to your life. For example, I love writing blog posts and letters and cards to friends on the weekends. But I carve out that time each weekend only after I’ve checked off my tougher to-dos from earlier in the week. This method tricks my brain into reaching for the list instead of avoiding it because I know the more I get checked off the closer I am to enjoying something I love. Another example is scheduling a monthly lunch with a dear friend only after I’ve checked at least one thing from each category off the list.

Here’s to turning every tedious, nagging to-do into the manifestation of beautiful goals that bring joy, fulfillment, and solutions to your life.