Todoist for Students: How I Used It to Crush Daily Tasks Without Burnout

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In college, my to-do list often felt like a monster. Between lectures, group projects, part-time jobs, and life in general, I was constantly overwhelmed.

I needed a system to help me manage daily tasks without burning out. That’s when I discovered Todoist—a simple, free task management app that helped me finally feel in control.

Here’s exactly how I used Todoist as a college student, including my setup, routines, and what worked (and what didn’t).

Why I Chose Todoist Over Paper Planners

I love notebooks, but rewriting the same tasks every day was exhausting. Plus, I needed reminders and recurring tasks—something analog tools couldn’t offer.

Todoist gave me a clean, minimal interface with just the right amount of features. I could add a task in 5 seconds and move on with my day.

My Todoist Setup as a Student

  1. Daily Inbox
    Every morning, I dumped everything into Todoist—assignments, errands, meetings, even “call mom.”

Later, I’d review and sort them into categories.

  1. Projects by Course
    I created a project for each class (e.g., “Biology 202”) and added related tasks inside, like:

  • Read Chapter 5

  • Submit Lab Report

  • Review Quiz Questions

  1. Labels for Context
    I used labels like @library, @laptop, @home to group tasks based on where I could do them. It made my day more efficient—no more sitting in the library realizing I left something at home.

  2. Recurring Tasks
    Todoist lets you add tasks like “Review flashcards every Monday” or “Submit journal every Friday.” This feature kept my week structured without constant re-planning.

  3. Priority Tags
    I marked urgent tasks with red flags (Priority 1), which helped me focus when I had limited time.

Pros of Using Todoist as a Student

  • Fast and lightweight – No unnecessary features

  • Cross-platform – Synced across phone, tablet, and laptop

  • Natural language input – I could type “Study for Econ test tomorrow 6pm” and it just worked

  • Gamified motivation – “Karma” points tracked my streaks, which actually kept me engaged

Cons (and How I Worked Around Them)

  • Limited in the free version – No reminders unless you upgrade
    → Workaround: I used Google Calendar for time-sensitive tasks

  • Not built for complex academic planning
    → I combined it with Notion for bigger projects or semester planning

How I Used Todoist Without Burning Out

One thing I learned was to keep my daily list realistic. I aimed for 3–5 important tasks per day.
Checking off just a few meaningful items felt better than staring at a never-ending list.

I also did a weekly review every Sunday, archiving completed tasks and setting priorities for the week ahead. That habit alone reduced so much mental stress.

Final Thoughts

Todoist didn’t magically make college easy—but it helped me turn chaos into clarity.
It’s not about doing more, but about doing the right things without burning yourself out.

If you’re looking for a simple, flexible way to manage daily study tasks, Todoist is worth trying. Start small, build habits, and adjust it to fit your life—not the other way around.

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