Every To Do List Template You Need (The 11 Best Templates)

to do list template header revised

To do lists shouldn’t take hours to set up, nor should they be complicated. Every second you spend setting up your task list and preparing for the work ahead is time wasted instead of getting out there and eliminating items from your schedule.

You should be able to jot down your tasks, have just enough flexibility to work how you need to, and then get on with it. After all, aren’t to do lists meant to help improve your productivity?

Well, we here at Process Street decided to save you even more time by providing you with your ultimate to do list template list, including printables and interactive schedules.

Let’s jump to it!

What is a to do list and when do you need to use one?

A to do list can be defined as a list of errands or tasks, usually written as a memory aid, detailing what needs to be accomplished.

When to use a to do list

Keeping a to do list organizes tasks, keeping you focused and making everything much more manageable. Seeing an outline for what needs to be done keeps you on task and grounded.

To do lists are usually used by single individuals to keep track of everyday tasks.

Understand the difference between a to do list and a process

A process is a series of tasks that work together to give a specific end. Processes are used for more complex business operations, rather than everyday tasks. More than one team member at a time can be working on a given process.

You can upgrade your to do list template as a process, and later in this article, you’ll find out how. Before that though, check out our top basic to do list templates below.

Basic daily to do list template

If you want a basic daily task checklist, we have compiled a compilation of top resources you can use.

To do list template #1 by Design Love Fest

design love fest template update

Design Love Fest demonstrates the opinion of many (including us) with this checklist, in that they focus on the three most important tasks of the day, and get you to set out a strict time of day during which you will check your emails. With bright colors and a more casual tone than the general to do list templates, this entry is perfect for those looking to take things one day at a time.

Click here to access the Design Love Fest template!

To do list template #2 by Simple As That

getting things done checklist update

Whilst this to do list is a hybrid of several of this post’s categories, it’s primarily designed to be run every day, hence its place here. Simple As That‘s daily to do list is best suited for those of you who like to plan out every detail of your day, from the time at which each task will be done, to which tasks are top priority, and even your daily diet.

Click here to access the Simple As That template!

To do list template #3 by Tidy Forms

two day planner update

Tidy Forms offer a bit of a twist on your average daily to do list; their planner allows you to organize two days in advance, rather than just the one. It may not be the prettiest template on this list, but the flexibility to layout your to do list for two days makes this a useful tool for those who find their tasks changing very little from day to day.

Click here to access the Tidy Form template!

To do list template #4 by Pomodoro Technique

to do today checklist

As any of you who have been keeping track of our posts on productivity will know, everyone at Process Street loves the Pomodoro Technique. So, upon discovering a to do list on Forms Birds which has the tomato itself in the top right corner, with space enough for a day’s worth of 25-minute sprints, we couldn’t do anything but include it in our top pick of existing templates.

Click here to access the Pomodoro Technique template!

To do list template #5 by Glue Sticks & Gumdrops

daily to do list template update

Time for another entry with personality, this time from Glue Sticks & Gumdrops. With headings that look handwritten, along with a calm green and eye-catching pink color scheme, this daily to-do template gives you plenty of room to record your tasks for the day, prioritize those extra important duties, note who you need to call, and even get a reminder to keep topped up on water when looking at the bottom of the page.

Click here to access the Glue Sticks and Gumdrop template!

Running a process to upgrade your to do list

Processes give greater complexity and control over your tasks compared with to do lists. With this in mind, we at Process Street have created daily work schedule checklists to be run as a process to manage your daily tasks. For more information, watch the below video: Daily Checklist: My Daily Work Schedule Checklist With Process Street.

Use our Daily Work Schedule Checklist given below to implement processes and manage your daily schedule.

Daily Work Schedule Checklist for Editor Tasks

Run this daily work schedule checklist for editor tasks every day and work through it to cover the small recurring tasks which always need to get done. Enter bigger tasks or projects into the checklist and complete them as they appear.

Click here to access the Daily Work Schedule Checklist Editor Task!

Weekly to do list templates

Moving on to a longer time frame, below are our top processes and to do lists to be used weekly.

Weekly to do list template #1 by Process Street

As with all Process Street workflow templates, it’s incredibly easy to quickly jot down your tasks for every day of the week, and then record your progress using our app. Never worry about ruining your to do list with minor mistakes like ticking off the wrong task – you can instantly edit and update every instance of this weekly checklist, no matter how many times you run it. For example, you can take this weekly workflow template, edit a few tasks to suit your needs, and proceed to run it as many times as you wish.

Click here to access our Marketing Team Weekly To Do List Workflow Template!

Weekly to do list template #2 by Spreadsheet123

to do this week spreadsheet

Misleading name aside, Spreadsheet123‘s Daily To Do List is a great little template for organizing your week by laying out your tasks in plain English. With a section for each day (including the weekend), space for 8 tasks per day, and a checkbox for each task, everything you could ask for in a basic weekly template is here. Plus, it’s an Excel file, so it has a familiar layout for many users.

Click here to access Spreadsheet123 Daily To Do List template!

Weekly to do list template #3 by List It Planner

List It Planner

List It Planner is a fantastic website for anyone looking for a long-term to do list organizer. Their main product is a physical calendar split up into weekly to do lists which is perfect to sit on your desk and be at hand if you think of a task.

They also have this simple but effective weekly to do list planner which is pretty much a single sheet out of their calendar. If you like this one, consider checking out the full product!

Also, thanks to List It Planner for reaching out to us in the comments – this entry was created at their request so go give them some love.

Click here to access the List It Planner template!

Weekly to do list template #4 by A Pair & A Spare

things to do checklist

Going even more bare-bones than the majority of this collection, A Pair & A Spare created this weekly to do list template to split up your long term goals into bitesize chunks for the week ahead. The minimal black and white color scheme also has a slight Patrick Bateman vibe to it, so there’s another plus.

Click here to access the A Pair & A Spare template!

Weekly to do list template #5 by Vertex42

daily to do list star

Much like Spreadsheet123’s earlier entry, Vertex42‘s Prioritized ‘Daily’ To Do List is, in fact, a template for you to plan out your upcoming week’s tasks. Whilst much here is the same as A Pair & A Spare’s minimal design, the benefit here is a simple start next to the first two tasks each day, serving as a great way to help you mark which tasks are most important.

Click here to access the Vertex 42 template!

What is your to do list of choice?

Much like our best productivity apps, remember to only use one of these to do lists (or, at most, one from each category) to avoid getting bogged down with unnecessary tools. Better yet, if you find these to do lists lacking, grab them as a basic template to work off and customize to your needs.

Have any to do list templates of your own that beat the pants off of our selection? Mention it in a comment below, and you may well see it added to this list, or as part of a future post.

Download our Free Ebook on Task Management

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You’ve heard it all before. You have the same amount of hours in your day as anyone else…

…But what good are those hours if you’re not managing tasks properly?

I’ve improved my productivity threefold since I started researching and writing this ebook, and it’ll help you too change bad habits and put you on the path to productivity.

Do you use a to do list template to complete your everyday tasks? What’s your to do list template of choice? We’d love to hear from you, please comment below!

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Ben Mulholland

Ben Mulholland is an Editor at Process Street, and winds down with a casual article or two on Mulholland Writing. Find him on Twitter here.

29 Comments

Thanks Nicole!

I’m sure there are plenty of others (I saw so many while researching this that I started seeing them in my dreams!), but I cut it down to the ones that weren’t completely identical. Nobody like to see hundreds of templates that are all the same after all. 🙂

Thanks for the recommendation Richa – I’ll check them out and maybe add them to the list! 😀

All the best,
Ben

I loved this site I found the perfect to -do list like you said it shouldn’t require a lot of thought but; I knew what I needed and found it here. So thank you so much.

It was my absolute pleasure Lisa – it really does seem small, but when you’re using it so much and so often it pays to get exactly what you’re looking for. 🙂

Glad I could help, and all the best!

Thanks Alessandro!

Automation is always a little difficult to get to grips with, so thanks for the recommendation. I’ll be sure to check it out. 🙂
Also, have you tried using Zapier? It’s a great tool for automating your processes and it’s pretty simple to use.

If you need any more help with automation, we also have two free ebooks which take you through everything from start to finish:

Hope they help!

Excellent array of To-Do list templates.
As a aspiring project manager and passionate blogger, I have created one Excel based To Do list template.
Yes I know, you have already included one above but what makes this template different from other is its features – indication of the task status with the task indicator i.e RAG status of project.
Secondly, Can handle up to 10 projects and each task can have project, priority, status and due columns.
You can read more features at- http://www.techno-pm.com/2016/09/excel-to-do-list-for-project-managers.html and download it for FREE.

Thanks for the kind words Megan.

Awesome, I’ll be sure to check it out. 🙂

While we’re on that topic, would you mind if I maybe included it in this list? I’ll be sure to link back to the original source and give you full credit, of course.

Thanks again,
Ben

Great to hear it; it’s always nice to hear that this is helping someone out.

Mind me asking what you use to do lists for? Knowing how you use them helps us pick topics and create content that’s useful to you, so it’s helpful to get any feedback where we can.

All the best,
Ben

Thanks, and absolutely!

I’ve gone ahead and uploaded the free version of your planner with links back to you. I also love the look of the to do list calendar (the full product) that you guys are doing, so I’ve told everyone to go check it out.

Thanks again for the suggestion,
Ben

Glad to hear you like it Nora!

Is there a particular one you’re using to get things done? I’d love to know so that we can focus on the things you like and find useful in future!

Thanks,
Ben

My pleasure – it’s always worth it when I hear that it’s helping someone out.

Are there any other resources or topics you’d like us to cover? I’d love to hear from you if that’s the case – the more we can help the better!

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