Before I started my own company, I worked as a software developer for a New York media company. I had a colleague—let’s call him Neil—who was a brilliant designer. But he was also a perfectionist.

For several years, I have kept two to-do lists for work (that’s how much I love them—one just wasn’t enough). One of my lists contains tasks that require deep, focused work and demand a decent chunk ...

Lindsey Ellefson is Lifehacker’s Features Editor. She currently covers study and productivity hacks, as well as household and digital decluttering, and oversees the freelancers on the sex and ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. author of Chained to the Desk in a Hybrid World: A Guide to Balance. When your “always on” to-do list requires you to check off ...