5 Steps to Revamp Your To-Do List for a More Fulfilling Life

One of my favorites quotes, penned by Catherine Price in her book The Power of Fun, goes like this:

“We can’t control the fact that we will die. But we can control whether we actually live. We can control whether we merely endure our days or experience and enjoy them. We can control whether we arrive on our deathbeds feeling like we’ve wasted our time or end up satisfied with how we’ve spent our brief moment in the sun.”

We can choose whether we merely endure our days or experience and enjoy them. 

In a world with a million things vying for our time and attention, enjoying our days takes intention. 

The trick to intentionally experiencing and enjoying your days? Revamp your to-do list.

Not by adding more things that you “should” do, but instead by creating a fulfillment list.

A fulfillment list is all about getting back in touch with what you like to do—what makes you feel engaged in life—and then being intentional about doing it. 

By balancing tasks we “should” do with activities that bring us joy, we live a richer life.

Personally, any given day can tempt me to shift into “doing mode.” If I’m not careful, I’ll turn a 24-hour window into a quest to complete as much as I can.

Laundry, check. Dishes, check. Clean bathroom, check. Before I know it, my to-do list may have a satisfying collection of check marks, but I am absolutely drained, with little energy or patience left for my family. 

Sprinkling in activities from my fulfillment list throughout the day makes life feel much more balanced, keeps my energy level high enough that I feel like myself at the end of the day, and makes each day more enjoyable.

Here are 5 steps to revamp your to-do list for a more fulfilling life:

1. Brainstorm things you love doing daily 

Get back in touch with things that bring you pleasure and enjoyment daily. These things don’t have to cost money. They could include reading a book to your kids, or listening to a podcast or TED talk. Maybe meditating in the morning or dancing around the house is more your thing. Whatever gives you an expansive feeling and provokes anticipation when you think about doing it qualifies. 

2. Consider things you’d love to do monthly 

Think of things you enjoy doing that you could do monthly. These could include shopping at the farmer’s market, grabbing coffee with a friend, going to the museum, or participating in an exercise class you love. 

3. List out things you’d love to do yearly

Brainstorm things you could do yearly. These could include bigger “bucket list” activities like swimming in the ocean, visiting a national park you’ve always wanted to see, attending your favorite team’s sporting event, or visiting out-of-state family. 

4. Make a master fulfillment list

Make a list of at least 30 things total and sort them into daily, monthly, and yearly activities. You’ll want to have more daily things than monthly or yearly. Be specific with your list—include authors you like to read, concepts you’d like to learn more about, or musicians whose work makes you feel more alive. 

5. Revamp your schedule 

Now, be intentional about writing these fulfilling activities on your calendar—daily, monthly and annually. Try to balance your daily to-do list with two activities from your daily “fulfillment list”—every day. Rotate fun activities to keep things fresh. Plan a less-regular (monthly or yearly) activity sometime soon. Numerous studies suggest that having something to look forward to boosts your mood and lowers your stress.

I like to write down three “to-do” tasks and two “fulfillment” activities for each day. I take intentionally completing the fun activities as seriously as I do the other tasks. 

Unload the dishwasher, check. Sit and play with my toddler, check. Vacuum the dining room, check. Sit and meditate for 20 minutes during nap time, check. And the day becomes much more balanced and enjoyable. 

For more ideas on things to put on your fulfillment list, see below. 

Taking a walk in the park, taking photographs, dancing, taking a relaxing bath, getting a massage, morning meditation, writing a letter to a friend, sipping organic coffee, painting, reading spiritual books, reading a novel, burning candles, diffusing essential oils, joining a Bible study, hiking in the woods, swimming in the ocean, cooking with friends, reading a bedtime story to your kids, writing in a journal, laughing with family and friends, buying yourself flowers, shopping at the farmer’s market, taking a foreign language class, reading a thought-provoking article or book, spending extra time in prayer, writing a blog post, watching TED talks or listening to podcasts, taking an exercise class, visiting a museum, or going to a musical.

Author Annie Dillard said, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” 

Let’s be intentional about making our days rich, joyful, and fulfilling, so that ultimately, our lives can be too.

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Julia Ubbenga is a freelance journalist whose teachings on minimalism, simplicity, and intentional living have reached thousands of people worldwide through her blog. Julia practices what she preaches in her Kansas City home with her husband, two extremely lively young daughters, two-year-old son, and nine-month-old baby girl. You can also find her on Instagram and now also on Facebook.

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