18
Oct

How to Stick to your To Do List

Have you ever made a To Do List and then just became so overwhelmed that you ignored it?

Here are my tips to sticking to your To Do List:Time Management Quadrant

The first thing to realize is that you may have more than 1 To Do List. You may have a To Do List for your business, home and activities – and that is okay because if you have an active life you will be busy. This is why the To Do List can be so overwhelming.

My advice –

  1. Stick to 1 list that includes everything that you need to do.

Just start by jotting down everything that you want to do. Understand that this may make your list very long. Don’t get frustrated or overwhelmed because I these are things that you want to do. They are not things that you “have” to do.

2. Go through the list and prioritize the 3 most important things that need to be done today. In today’s world where we want instant gratification, it may not be possible for you to check off all of the items on your To Do List in one day.

3. Block out the time to make sure that you get these 3 items done. Don’t get distracted by social media, phone calls (or whatever else is going on in your life) and allow it to stop you from achieving these 3 goals. In other words…don’t allow yourself to let yourself down.

Here are some examples of how I manage my time to ensure that I stick to my To Do List:

  1. Don’t answer the phone. I think that it is okay for people to leave me a message. Why? Because when I am returning a call, I am able to chose the time that I return the call to ensure that I can fit it into my busy schedule. And, since I have listened to the message, I am able to keep the conversation short.
  2. Do the most important items first – that would be those with a deadline. An example would be paying a bill. If you still do it the old fashioned way (via the mail – like me), write the check and get it into the mailbox early. This will ensure that you don’t stress about missing the deadline of the mail pickup. Make the phone calls that you need to make early in the day. These are easy to check off your list and will allow you to feel accomplished.
  3. Don’t overthink everything. You can waste a ton of time trying to figure out what to do next instead of just getting it done.
  4. Use a calendar system for your To do List. Using a calendar will help keep you focused and on track to make sure that you get everything done. Even schedule your To Do List on your calendar – remember that you are in charge of your time.
  5. Plan ahead for the next day. Create your next daily To Do List before going to bed. This way, when you wake up you’ll already know your priorities.

Need a little help? Call Linda @ 540-220-5912 – or visit our website @ organizationdirect.com