, ▁business ▁management , ▁project ▁management , ▁and ▁software ▁development . ▁It ▁may ▁involve ▁more ▁than ▁one ▁list . ▁ ▁When ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁items ▁on ▁a ▁task ▁list ▁is ▁accomplished , ▁the ▁task ▁is ▁checked ▁or ▁crossed ▁off . ▁The ▁traditional ▁method ▁is ▁to ▁write ▁these ▁on ▁a ▁piece ▁of ▁paper ▁with ▁a ▁pen ▁or ▁p enc il , ▁usually ▁on ▁a ▁note ▁pad ▁or ▁clip - board . ▁Task ▁lists ▁can ▁also ▁have ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁paper ▁or ▁software ▁check lists . ▁ ▁W riter ▁Jul ie ▁M orgen st ern ▁suggests ▁" do ' s ▁and ▁don ' ts " ▁of ▁time ▁management ▁that ▁include : ▁ ▁Map ▁out ▁everything ▁that ▁is ▁important , ▁by ▁making ▁a ▁task ▁list . ▁ ▁Create ▁" an ▁o asis ▁of ▁time " ▁for ▁one ▁to ▁control . ▁ ▁Say ▁" No ". ▁ ▁Set ▁prior ities . ▁ ▁Don ' t ▁drop ▁everything . ▁ ▁Don ' t ▁think ▁a ▁critical ▁task ▁will ▁get ▁done ▁in ▁one ' s ▁spare ▁time . ▁ ▁N umer ous ▁digital ▁equival ents ▁are ▁now ▁available , ▁including ▁personal ▁information ▁management ▁( PI M ) ▁applications ▁and ▁most ▁P D As . ▁There ▁are ▁also ▁several ▁web - based ▁task ▁list ▁applications , ▁many ▁of ▁which ▁are ▁free . ▁ ▁Task ▁list ▁organization ▁▁ ▁Task ▁lists ▁are ▁often ▁di ar ised ▁and ▁tier ed . ▁The ▁simplest ▁tier ed ▁system ▁includes ▁a ▁general ▁to - do ▁list ▁( or ▁task - hold ing ▁file ) ▁to ▁record