Introduction
For your to-do list to be an effective tool, you need one essential thing: you need to want to look at it.
And for that, it has to stay short.
The problem is that many to-do lists become junk lists, filled with things to do in a few months, or even a few years. Tasks you read and reread every day, without ever doing them.
That's exactly what the maybe list exists to prevent.
Why your to-do list must stay short
A to-do list that's too long becomes counterproductive.
It creates constant pressure, makes you feel like you're never moving forward, and eventually discourages you. We already covered this in overuse your to-do list: the longer a list is, the less useful it becomes.
The goal of a to-do list isn't to store every idea you ever have. Its role is to contain the actions you can actually do now.
What a maybe list is
The maybe list is a separate list.
It contains everything you might like to do one day, but for which there is no urgency and no obligation.
It can include:
- books to read
- articles to skim
- movies or series to watch
- trips to take
- recipes to try
But also:
- skills to learn, like guitar or woodworking
- life projects, like a bike trip, skydiving, or going to Alaska
This list has almost no limit.
Call it whatever you want
The name doesn't matter.
"Maybe list," "Someday list," "Ice box" (as developers say), or even "One day." Pick what resonates with you.
What matters is the function: remove from your main to-do list everything that isn't a priority, without losing it.
Clean up without guilt
The big advantage of the maybe list is that it lets you clean up your to-do list without giving up.
You're not deleting these ideas. You're simply moving them somewhere else. Somewhere safe, where you know you'll find them again.
And most importantly, it helps you drop the guilt.
It's okay if you don't read that book right away.
It's okay if you haven't started learning guitar yet.
These ideas are stored somewhere, out of your head, which is exactly the logic explained in the dark cloud: write everything down.
Don't forget what matters
The risk with a maybe list is forgetting it entirely.
After all, it often contains things you genuinely care about. To avoid that, the best solution is to have multiple maybe lists, grouped by category.
For example:
- a "books to read" list
- a "movies to watch" list
- a "trips" list
- a "life projects" list
That way, when an opportunity comes up, you know exactly where to look.
A useful list at the right moment
A quiet evening? Open your "movies to watch" list.
Stopping by a bookstore? Check "books to read."
Long vacation coming up? Look at your life projects list.
The maybe list becomes a source of inspiration, not a source of stress.
Conclusion
The maybe list is a simple tool, but an extremely powerful one.
It helps you:
- keep your to-do list short and motivating
- forget nothing
- reduce mental load
- move forward without guilt
In short, it helps you make room for what matters, while keeping a trace of what matters to you long term.
Go further
If you want a short daily email to help you organize your work better and stay focused on what's essential, just leave your email below.
One email a day.
No more.
Just enough.