Another one, thank you. See how Trello is revolutionizing to-do lists. With new features like Trello Inbox and Planner, you can get the rush of accomplishment on the go. Try Trello for free here.
Spring has sprung, and with the end of cozy season comes “try-hard” season. Yes, that means cleaning up not just your home but also your to-do list.
For those unfamiliar with the online pejorative, a try-hard is a person who’s hard at work becoming their best self. Trello embraces this mindset, and they’ve found good reason to believe it benefits you in the long run.
In partnership with Wakefield Research, Trello conducted a survey of 6,000 knowledge workers about their to-do list practices. This includes workers in six markets: the US, the UK, Australia, India, Germany, and France, with a quota of 1,000 respondents per market. So the first item on our to-do list is to dig into the data.
The good, the great, and the organized
A whopping 89% of workers surveyed believe the most organized individuals accomplish the most. Additionally, 82% established a formulaic system to keep their to-dos organized.
Almost three-quarters of professionals with a to-do list prefer the thrill of marking an item complete over receiving praise from a coworker. This is where productivity and motivation come in. If you depend on external validation (praise from coworkers), you won’t get that rush until someone notices you got the job done. When the motivation is internal (marking an item off the to-do list), it’s easier to self-motivate by giving yourself a little boost.
In theory, that’s fantastic. Everyone with their own little lists, crossing things off as they get done and getting a tidy rush of dopamine in the process. However, not all to-do lists are created equal.
(Dis)organizational hazards
More than half of workers surveyed admit their organizational methods may appear chaotic to outsiders, yet they firmly believe these approaches work well for them.
While everyone may claim there’s a method to their madness, a disorganized system often causes…more disorganization. That has some real-world consequences.
Here’s how: 78% of respondents said they’d rather take on extra work than collaborate with a disorganized colleague. The workplace is meant to be a collaborative environment. If you’re not organized enough to be a team player, you may get the boot. The survey found that almost two-thirds of respondents would fire disorganized team members.
If this raises some alarm bells, don’t fret. There are plenty of ways to turn things around. For starters, rethink what goes on that to-do list.
Nearly half of employees maintain two distinct to-do lists to track their personal and work responsibilities. Meanwhile, 23% opt to consolidate all tasks into a single to-do list, and 21% keep a to-do list only for work-related tasks, leaving personal reminders to rely solely on memory.
If you cannot see everything you need to get done at a glance, odds are good that something will slip through the cracks. Leaving items off a to-do list inherently deprioritizes them. That’s where Trello can help.
The nicest list
Beat it, Santa, because there’s a nicer list in town. In the new Trello, you can capture your to-dos from any interaction—a voice note to Siri, a Slack message, or an email—and add it to one master list with Trello Inbox.
Here are just a few ways you use Trello Inbox:
- Add to-dos with your voice (iOS) or type it right from the app home screen (Android and iOS). Just say, “Hey Siri, add RSVP no to Jennifer and my ex’s wedding to Trello.” 👀
- Snap important messages from Slack and Microsoft Teams to your inbox using app shortcuts like Slack’s “save for later” feature or an emoji reaction. That way, you won’t forget to respond to all the “important” messages your boss sends on days you’re clearly marked as “out of office.”
- Forward emails to [email protected], and never risk 14 years of bad luck when you don’t send chain mail to 14 friends.
With all your to-dos in one place, Trello Planner gives you a bird’s-eye view of your schedule. Connect it to your Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook to view your availability right alongside your tasks. Effortlessly drag-and-drop items from your inbox to the calendar to give yourself due dates so you never scramble to get a to-do done at the last minute.
Living la vida try-hard is easier than ever with Trello. Don’t miss out because of messed-up planning. Try Trello (for free!) and let your newly organized life bloom.