To Do or Not To Do?
It’s time to get organized. It’s time to manage your tasks.
What do you need? A to do list!
But how long should it be? General or specific? Should you check boxes or draw a line through it? Typed or written?
Here are some tips to make an effective to-do list.
1. Break down big tasks into tiny tasks
This is my preferred method. Before I adopted this method, I would have to-do lists that featured very big tasks like "Finish proposal" or "Meet with Bob Smith".
These are great end goals, but they do not represent all the tiny tasks necessary to achieve the very big task.
EXAMPLE
BIG TASK: Finish proposal
TINY TASKS TO ACHIEVE BIG TASK:
o Research the proposal topic and make notes
o Schedule call with Expert X to discuss remaining questions
o Prepare draft 1
o Share draft with boss for feedback
o Prepare final draft
o Send to graphic designer
o Send final designed proposal to potential client
Breaking down a major goal into its composite tasks has lots of benefits: you think about what specifically needs to be done, the order in which you need to do it and who needs to be involved. Ultimately, you emerge with a clear action plan for completing the task.
2. Use an app
There is totally an app for this! My job involves working with many stakeholders, departments and partners. It also involves projects at various stages - some are just concepts and others are wrapping up.
At one point, I found a paper to-do list was wildly unwieldy. Post-it notes of various sizes were piling up around my desk. Technology did not help; I would start a to do list on a word document then it would end up being two typed pages long.
So I tried Trello! This was handy for organizing tasks in different systems, like by project stage or by department involved.
Ultimately, this method didn’t stick with me because I spent too much time reorganizing my to do list systems and creating colour coding schemes.
However, I can see task management apps being valuable for group work, to ensure everyone is on the same page, tasks are clearly assigned and progress is tracked in real time.
Also, apps will keep an archive of completed tasks, which can be useful when developing workplans for future projects or assessing team contributions and workload.
3. Be realistic about time
Creating a to do list with tasks that would take a month to complete will overwhelm you. You can make a realistic to do list by setting a specific (short-term) time frame of 1 – 3 days.
If longer term tasks come to mind while you are making this list, note them down on a separate sheet of paper for future reference, but focus your to do list on what is important, necessary and achievable within your specific time frame.
4. Make your list at the end of the day or at the end of the week
Does anyone else's brain completely reset during the weekends? Monday mornings can be spent in a fog of weekend nostalgia and aimless Inbox wondering… unless you have a handy dandy to do list awaiting you on Monday morning.
My favourite time to make to-do lists is at the end of the week. After the momentum of a full week of work, you know what needs to be done to keep your priorities rolling along the following week. Your will transition faster into highly-productive-work-mode if you have a to do list waiting for you.
Likewise, if you are stressed out at end-of-day, make a quick list of what you didn’t get done that day so you can ease your mind before heading home.
Planning your tasks while information is fresh in your mind equips your future self to get off to a smooth start.
5. Pick your top three tasks
I heard this tip on a podcast. It was developed by someone as a very effective productivity system. My googling failed to identify the source of this method, so get in touch if you know!
This practice involves focusing on the three most important tasks you want to achieve in a day. Listing them from hardest to easiest. Then experiencing a rush of confidence and motivation when you complete your most complex and crucial task to start the day.
Hopefully these tips will help you craft to do lists for mega productivity!
