--- title: "STYLE Savvy: Time to Master the Tasks at Hand" description: Lisa Hess finds surprising satisfaction in creating a master list. How do you organize your multiple to-do lists? image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20161109%20Lisa%20Hess.png --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/11/09/style-savvy-time-master-tasks-hand#) # STYLE Savvy: Time to Master the Tasks at Hand Nov 9, 2016 11:00:39 AM  |  by [Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20161109%20Lisa%20Hess.png) *Lisa Hess finds surprising satisfaction in creating a master list. How do you organize your multiple to-do lists?* --- I am the sort of person who leaves multiple windows open on her computer. (Multiple doesn't begin to describe it.) When I discovered that I could create a dozen or more *different* desktops on my MacBook, this made me love my laptop even more than I already did. Any guesses what my predominant style is?   Whether our styles reveal themselves in an unmistakeable ***I need to see it, drop and run** *or ***cram and jam** *fashion, or in a subtler, more nuanced way, we all need to pause and take stock sometimes. For me, that time was a few weekends ago, which   was not surprising; the end of the month was, at that time, a little more than a week away.   So, I set out to make a master list that would enable me to replace the visual clutter with one neat list. My goal was to close out the open windows on my computer and streamline the to-do lists on my desk.   I started out with one measly piece of paper, but quickly decided that to really get my house in order, I needed separate pages for key categories. This method would accomplish two things: it would organize my thoughts (by category) and keep my lists shorter, and therefore less overwhelming. I briefly considered going back to the [color-coded list](http://l2hess.blogspot.com/2012/11/my-crazy-color-coded-list.html) format I use in the summer, but decided that I'd be better off with pages in a notebook. So, armed with my calendar, my work to-do notebook (each class has its own column) and my spiral-bound notebook, I dug in.   First stop: my laptop. I had tabs open in my browser for articles I wanted to read, use for blogs or reference for class, along with references for writing projects. I had presentations in various stages of completion, some old (for reference) and some current. I had writing projects galore. Beginning with the browser tabs, I took one thing at a time, adding each to the appropriate list and then closing it out.  Because it's easier to access links by simply clicking on them, I created a master list of the links I had open and wanted to return to and emailed it to myself. Now, instead of leaving all those tabs open, I simply have to open the email and click on the link I want.   Second stop: all those notes on my desk. This part was easy, because, as it turns out, there weren't that many of them. Apparently my paper system is working better than my electronic system -- something that was a nice surprise, but, in retrospect, shouldn't have been surprising at all. I am, at heart, a paper-and-pencil girl. Third stop (which perhaps should have been first): the multiple piles that scream, "An ***I need to see it/drop and run*** person lives here!" Why weren't they first? Because I'm more organized than I look. The really important, to-do list qualifying stuff is on my computer or my desk. As I worked on the list, a funny thing happened: I started to get really excited about tackling all of the things I was writing down. While visual reminders can be helpful, having too many of them for too long can become exhausting, and therefore counterproductive. After a while, they all blend together and become a congealed mass of things to do. Thank goodness I have my nice, neat list. --- *Copyright 2016 Lisa Hess* *Image: Canva* ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F11%2F09%2Fstyle-savvy-time-master-tasks-hand%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F11%2F09%2Fstyle-savvy-time-master-tasks-hand%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F11%2F09%2Fstyle-savvy-time-master-tasks-hand%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=STYLE%20Savvy%3A%20Time%20to%20Master%20the%20Tasks%20at%20Hand) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F11%2F09%2Fstyle-savvy-time-master-tasks-hand%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F11%2F09%2Fstyle-savvy-time-master-tasks-hand%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Lisa%20Lawmaster%20Hess.jpg) ### [Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess) Transplanted Jersey girl Lisa Lawmaster Hess is the author of a blog compilation, three novels, and three non-fiction books, including the award-winning Know Thyself: The Imperfectionist’s Guide to Sorting Your Stuff. A retired elementary school counselor, Lisa is an adjunct professor of psychology at York College of Pennsylvania. She blogs at [The Porch Swing Chronicles](http://l2hess.blogspot.com/), [Organizing by STYLE](http://www.orgbystyle.blogspot.com/), and here at Catholicmom.com. [Read all articles by Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess). [**](https://www.facebook.com/L2Hess/) [**](https://twitter.com/orgbystyle) ## Related Blog Articles [ STYLE Savvy: Lists and Styles Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/07/06/style-savvy-lists-styles) [ STYLE Savvy: Setting Up for Summer Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2017/05/24/style-savvy-setting-summer) [ STYLE Savvy: Dare to Ditch the List? Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/12/07/style-savvy-dare-ditch-list) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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