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 ...

Q. I currently keep a static to-do list, and I would like to update it to be more dynamic. Do you have any advice? A. Microsoft Excel is best known for crunching numbers, but it’s also a powerful tool ...

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 ...