To-Do Lists
The Key to Efficiency
All of these are symptoms of not keeping a proper "To-Do List." These are prioritized lists of all the tasks that you need to carry out. They list everything that you have to do, with the most important tasks at the top of the list, and the least important tasks at the bottom.
By keeping such a list, you make sure that your tasks are written down all in one place so you don't forget anything important. And by prioritizing tasks, you plan the order in which you'll do them, so that you can tell what needs your immediate attention, and what you can leave until later.
In fact, it's often when people start to use them effectively and sensibly that they make their first personal productivity breakthroughs, and start making a success of their careers. The video, below, gives some tips on how you can start to use to-do lists more effectively.
Step 1:
Write down all of the tasks that you need to complete. If they're large tasks, break out the first action step, and write this down with the larger task. (Ideally, tasks or action steps should take no longer than 1-2 hours to complete.)
Note:
You may find it easier to compile several lists (covering personal, study, and workplace, for example). Try different approaches and use the best for your own situation.
Step 2:
Run through these tasks allocating priorities from A (very important, or very urgent) to F (unimportant, or not at all urgent).
If too many tasks have a high priority, run through the list again and demote the less important ones. Once you have done this, rewrite the list in priority order.
Using Your To-Do List
To use your list, simply work your way through it in order, dealing with the A priority tasks first, then the Bs, then the Cs, and so on. As you complete tasks, tick them off or strike them through.
What you put on your list and how you use it will depend on your situation. For instance, if you're in a sales-type role, a good way to motivate yourself is to keep your list relatively short, and aim to complete it every day.
But if you're in an operational role, or if tasks are large or dependent on too many other people, then it may be better to focus on a longer-term list, and "chip away" at it day-by-day.
Many people find it helpful to spend, say, 10 minutes at the end of the day, organizing tasks on their list for the next day.
Using Software
There are many time management software programs available. At a simple level, you can use MSWord or MSExcel to manage your lists. Some versions of Microsoft Outlook, and other email services such as Gmail™, have task lists as standard features. Remember the Milk is another popular online task management tool that will sync with your smartphone, PDA, or email account. It can even show you where your tasks are on a map. Other similar services include Todoist and Toodledo.
One of the biggest advantages to using a software-based approach to manage your list is that you can update it easily. For example, instead of scratching off tasks and rewriting the list every day, software allows you to move and prioritize tasks quickly.
Tip:
All of us think, plan and work differently. A program that works well for a colleague might not work well for you simply because you learn and think in your own way. This is why it's useful to research and try several different ways of compiling your list before deciding on a single system.
Examples
To-do lists can help you get, and stay, on top of important projects and piles of tasks or decisions.
For instance, imagine you're heading a team that's working on a project. There are so many tasks to do, and so many people doing them, that staying on top of it all seems overwhelming.
In this situation, structure your list by team member, writing out tasks and deadlines for every person on the project. Each day as you write out your own tasks that need completion, you can also check your Team To-Do List to see who's working on what, and if anything is due in that day. You can also include other tasks that you need to complete as part of your job.
Or, imagine you're in a sales role and have a long list of people who you need to talk to. You write out a list of everyone you need to call and every client you need to see, and start prioritizing.
You know that one client is really keen on your product and is ready to buy, so you prioritize them with an "A" – this is a prospect that's really worth focusing on. Conversely, you know that another prospect is playing you off against several competitors, meaning that you'll make less profit, and that there's a reasonable chance that you won't get the business. You prioritize this person with a "D". It's worth making some effort here, but you should focus most of your attention on better prospects.
Key Points
To be well organized in the workplace, you need to be using to-do lists. By using them, you will ensure that:
- You remember to carry out all necessary tasks.
- You tackle the most important jobs first, and don't waste time on trivial tasks.
- You don't get stressed by a large number of unimportant jobs.
Start by listing all of the tasks that you must carry out.
Mark the importance of the task next to it, with a priority from A (very important) to F (unimportant). Redraft the list into this order of importance. Then carry out the jobs at the top of the list first. These are the most important, most beneficial tasks to complete.
You can also use software-based approaches to manage your list. You can often access these from anywhere, and they can often be synced with your Smartphone or PDA
- Choose the Right App (or Paper) ...
- Make More Than One List. ...
- Jot Down Tasks as Quickly as Possible. ...
- Assign Due Dates. ...
- Revise Your To-Do Lists Daily. ...
- Limit Yourself to 3-5 Tasks Daily. ...
- Put Tasks on Your To-Do List, Not Goals. ...
- Keep Goals and Objectives Separate.
Why do To-Do Lists Help?
Tricking Your Brain
To-Do lists work for one main reason:
We tend to worry about things that we have left uncompleted
Our brains like things to be finished off and tidy, which means that we worry about things that need doing. That ought to mean that making a list of things to do makes us more worried, but it turns out that it actually tricks the brain into thinking that the task has been done.
In other words, writing things down on a to-do list means that you stop worrying, and actually have time to prioritise and then complete your tasks.
But this handy brain-trick is also the reason why some to-do lists don’t work: they are too long, or too hard, to complete, and we start worrying again. You need to be able to tick items off your to-do list or you will start to worry again.
Fortunately, there are some simple ways in which you can write to-do lists that help you to achieve more.
These include:
1. Have more than one list
If you are the kind of person that cannot remember things if they are not written down, then it is worth having two (or more) lists:
The second is a way of prioritising and focusing your attention, so that you do the things that matter most when you have most energy.
The things from the first list—if they are important enough—should eventually make it onto the second list. If they turn out not to be important enough, then you can delete them.
2. Keep your daily or weekly lists manageable Some people suggest that your daily list should contain no more than three items. Three to five is probably the optimum, because you are likely to be able to achieve that more often than not, but some people say aim for just one, and then anything more is a bonus.
Add some structure to your to-do list
One of the major problems I find with to-do lists is every item gets treated with the same level of priority – “get milk from the store” is right next to “complete presentation for meeting tomorrow”. You can very easily spend your day doing chores and then panic at some point in the evening because you haven’t done the one important task on your list.
You should have your three most important tasks (your priorities) at the top of your to-do list. Resolve to complete your priorities as early in the day as possible and not to move on to any other tasks before you have done so. This discipline can be life changing. Think about how effective you would become if you completed your most important tasks every day.
To do list idea
Career Development Goals
Find a job you love
Find a way to love the job you have
Negotiate a raise with your boss
Write a book using the expertise you’ve gained during your career
Tell someone how they’ve inspired you
Teach a workshop on your job skills at your local community center
Complete industry certifications
Take a job where you have to travel
Support a cause that’s important to you through donations or volunteering
Retire early!
Personal Development Goals
Learn how to negotiate workplace conflicts
Learn something new about your industry every day
Take more risks and try out-of-the-box ideas
Figure out your personal brand
Identify your strengths
Identify your weaknesses
Learn how to take constructive criticism
Compliment a coworker every day on the good work they are doing
Have pride in yourself and value your contributions
Set a good example for your those you ment
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