Template · Planning
Free to-do list template: today, this week, waiting and someday
A simple to-do list that stays simple: four checklists for today, this week, what you are waiting for and someday. Give any item a due date and it shows on your task board.
To do · Oct 5
Today
This week
Waiting for
Things other people owe you, with who and since when.
Someday
Tip: give a task a due date and it shows on your task board.
Free. Barside asks before it adds the template, then makes a new note from it. Needs Barside 1.50 or newer.
Nothing opened? Barside may not be installed yet. Download Barside, then choose Open in Barside again.
Most to-do lists fail because everything sits in one long pile. Splitting the list by when it matters keeps today short and makes the rest easy to ignore until its time comes.
Who it is for
It is for anyone who wants a list that does not grow into a wall of text. If you like the Getting Things Done approach, the four sections map well onto it: see our guide to Getting Things Done.
What is in the to-do list template
- Today: three lines to start. Keep it short enough to finish.
- This week: what has to happen before Friday.
- Waiting for: what other people owe you, with who and since when.
- Someday: ideas and nice-to-haves, out of the way.
An example
On Monday, Cy writes three tasks in Today: answer the landlord, finish slides and book a dentist. The slides need two days, so they go to This week with a due date of Wednesday. He is waiting for a quote from a printer, so that goes in Waiting for with the date. A course he might take someday sits in Someday, out of sight until he has time.
How to use the to-do list template
- Choose Open in Barside above. Barside opens and asks before it adds anything.
- Pick the workspace for the note, and leave Keep it in my templates ticked to use the template again.
- Choose Create note. A new note called "To do · Oct 5" opens, ready to fill in.
- Next time, start one from New note from a template, or let Barside make it on a schedule as a repeating note.
No Barside yet? It is free for Windows, Linux and Mac: download Barside, then choose Open in Barside again.
How to keep a to-do list useful
- Start each item with a verb: "Call the bank", not "Bank".
- Move items between lists as plans change. Copy and paste works, or drag the line.
- Give dated tasks a due date with + date, and they show on the task board, grouped by when they are due.
- Add a reminder to a task that must not slip.
- Empty the Someday list now and then. Delete what no longer matters.
Make it yours
- Add a section per project, or per person you work with.
- Pin the note to the top of your workspace so it is always one click away.
- Make a fresh copy each Monday as a repeating note.
FAQ
Questions and answers
How do I add a due date to a task?
Point at the checklist item and click + date, or use the calendar button under More formatting. The task then shows on the task board with its date.
Is the to-do list template free?
Yes. The template and Barside are both free. Barside Plus is optional and adds cloud backup and sync between computers; templates do not need it.
Do I need an account to use it?
No. Barside runs on your computer without an account, and the notes you make from the template stay in your library on your computer.
Does the template work offline?
Adding it needs the internet once, so Barside can fetch it from barside.space. After that, the template and every note made from it live on your computer and work offline.