A To Do List to Organize Your Tasks

Is your To Do list working for you?

This time management tool has stood the test of time, but in today's world of work a to-do list can lead you feeling demotivated and deflated.

Is there a better way?

For many years a to-do list has been (and still is) an essential time management form for busy people who want to get things done.

In fact, probably of all the time management consulting that I have done in the many different companies, a to-do list is the one time management tool that everyone knows and has used.

Do you need a to-do list?

Are you constantly feeling overwhelmed?

Are you facing a number of deadlines?

Have you simply forgotten something that you were supposed to do?

If so, then creating a list is going to be better than not having a list.

The History of the to-do list

A to do list has stood the test of time because it is a simple and effective time management technique.

In the early 1900's, Ivy Lee, a management consultant, visited Charles Schwab, then president of Bethlehem Steel Company.

Ivy asked, "If I could increase the productivity of your managers by at least 20 percent, what would it be worth to you?"

Schwab said he didn't know but it would be definitely worth alot.

Ivy Lee then taught Schwab a time management skill that took 10 minutes to learn and increased productivity by at least 20 percent.

Lee didn't want to be paid upfront...Schwab could decide for himself and send a check later.

Schwab agreed.

Lee said that you should first make a list of all tasks that you have to do. At the start of the day select your most important items and start working on them.

Once you have finished the most important, move onto the second most important, and so on.

If a new task comes up during the day, keep working on the current task unless the new task is more important. If it is not more important then simply add it to your list of things to do.

Schwab taught this technique to his staff.

After one month Schwab was so impressed that he sent Ivy Lee a check for $25,000.

Not bad for one day's work!

But today's world of work has changed. We are constantly faced with more things than can be done.

Today's world of work and the to-do list

With too much to do and not enough time the to-do list can be an inferior time management tool.

The problem with a to do list in this situation is that it grows and grows.

Today's unfinished tasks get put onto tomorrow's task and before we know it we have a book of incomplete tasks. We start to not see the forest for the trees.

Now if you have been working hard, this can be a deflating and demotivating experience.

The other problem with this situation is that daily planning pulls you into reactivity.

In today's fast-paced work environment it is better to plan at the weekly level.

That's why we recommend that you fill out a weekly planner and do these time management exercises.

But for those that insist on daily planning - and I know there are many - please see below.

Download your to do list

A prioritized task list is essential for people who want to manage their time in an effective way.

It does this by helping you to:

• remember tasks that have to be done
• organize tasks based on their priority
• estimate and allocate time for each task
• work towards your established goals

Download your free to do list and take the first step to significant productivity gains.

Instructions for your to do list

Draw a table with 4 columns.

The first column is the task to be completed.

The second column of the 'to do' list is an estimate of the time for completion. This is an important part of a task list as it helps you to schedule the task into your timetable.

The third column is a priority of the tasks. A common method is to use the ABC method of priority, in which the important tasks are denoted with an A, those of medium importance is labeled B, and non-important tasks are marked C.

The fourth column is for a tick when the task is completed.

However, what are the important tasks?

To prioritize your tasks, ask yourself the following questions:

• What tasks will help me reach my long-term goals? I write more about this in personal goal setting.
• What makes the most bang for a buck? In other words, what gives you the greatest return on your investment?
• What will happen if I don’t do it?
• Which project/task yields the greatest benefit to my company?
• What tasks flow over from yesterday?

  If you rarely get through your task list it may be worthwhile to track your time with a time management log. A time management log.

  A time management log can help you to identify any possible time management problems that may be affecting you.

  If you are a knowledge worker and the time management log sounds like too much of a chore, then free time tracking software could be useful for you.

• Do I need the help of other people?

  I talk more about the benefits of how-to-delegate effectively and how delegation is one of those time management techniques that are often talked about but rarely put into practice.

• Is the task important to others that I care about?

How a To Do list fits into your overall productivity plan

In an ideal world your daily task list is comprised of all the actions for that day that move you toward your long term goals.

However, life happens and sometimes we need to abandon the task list to get things done.

A good time management skill is to draw up a weekly plan.

Whether you download this weekly planner or put one into your personal organizer, a weekly plan gives you an overall view of the week.

A big benefit for me is that I find a weekly plan is a natural way for me to schedule my time.

I talk more about the benefits of a time management schedule and how to take advantage of your energy levels and work smarter rather than harder throughout the day.

Your weekly plan funnels down into a daily plan - which is your 'to do' list!

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