Tag Archive for: action list

Your Most Organized Year Ever

Your Most Organized Year Ever

Each year as we start the new year, we think of ways to make a change and improve our lives.  Did you know that organizing is one of the top three goals each year?  Throughout the month of January, I will be offering 31 tips to help you have Your Most Organized Year Ever.  Implement just one of these tips, tools, techniques or tweaks this year. 

 

Do you have notes written on the back of envelopes, paper plates or whatever?

 

Are small piles of post it notes everywhere?

 

Feel like your to do’s are over the top?

 

Task lists, aka to do lists, are a great way to consolidate information. You may have tasks in your email, from meetings or monthly reports that need to be done.  Having it all consolidated on one task list makes it easy to keep track of all these details.  It’s a visual reminder and easier than trying to remember it all in your head.

 

Your task list could be as simple as a spiral notebook.  Be sure it’s easy to carry with you.

 

Your task list could be an app.  My clients love Evernote and Toodledoo.  My personal favorite is Notes, which looks like a small post it note on your smart phone.

 

Your task list could be a series of post it notes stuck on a wall.  You can peel them off as you finish each task.

 

Make this Your Most Organized Year Ever with a task list.

 

Check out these apps and see what will work for you.

 

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Tackle Your To Do List

 

tackling your to do list

Is your To Do list endless? Do you have too much to do and not enough time? Tackling your To Do List doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are a few tips and tricks to knock out your list.

 

Start with a great way to make your list.

 

There is too much to remember to keep your list in your head. There are many ways to create your list. A small spiral notebook you can carry with you makes a great spot to record actions. You can use post it notes, writing one task on each note, and post them on a wall or window. Apps like Remember the Milk, ToodleDo and Wunderlist keep your list on your smart phone. Whatever your tool, writing and recording a list helps tackle your tasks.

 

Be specific on  your list.   Write in the one next step.  Like David Allen recommends, be sure your list includes actionable items. It’s the one next step that will move you forward on that project, rather than the project itself.

 

 

Prioritize what’s on your list.

 

Establish 3 Most Important Tasks (MITs) each day. What’s most important may be a task with a deadline or the first step of a long term project. You may not be able to complete your entire list, but you have started on what’s vital.

 

 

Do the one most important task first.

 

Life is complicated and unreliable. Remember that quote about eating dessert first? The only thing you can count on conquering in a day is the task you do first. This also requires you to put aside email until after you have completed a task.

 

Stay focused with a timer.

 

Set your timer for 15 – 30 minutes and work on a single project at a time. Research shows multi -tasking diminishes our productivity. You will be surprised at how much you accomplish when working on a single task at a time. A timer can be used at home, at the office, with your family or on your own.

 

If you are feeling overwhelmed at home or at work, spend a few minutes making and prioritizing your To Do List. Starting your day with a plan makes all the difference in feeling effective and productive.

 

Join me on my Powerful Productivity pinterest board.  You’ll find lots of tricks, tips and tools for making your day more productive.

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Conquering a To Do List by the Wall Street Journal

Is it really this simple?  Thanks to the Wall Street Journal!

More from this article! http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204296804577124742529431640.html