A to-do list should be just that…a list of things that you plan to do. Planning requires that you choose high-priority activities, estimate how long they will take to do, decide when you will do them, and enter them as actions in your planner/calendar.
Keep your daily to-do list short.Decide which two or three tasks absolutely MUST be done by the end of the day. Fit your to-do actions around thetime-specific commitments already in your planner. Identify specific times during the day when you will complete those important tasks and make an appointment with yourself by actually entering them in your calendar. Include only tasks you can realistically schedule into your day, allowing time for the unexpected.
- List your to-dos as specific actions you will take. If your schedule allows you an hour for your marketing project, decide what exactly you will do in that time. Will it be to draft copy for a sales page, will it be identifying potential joint-venture partners, or will it be something else? What exactly?
If your project is large, break it down into segments that can be done in 60-90 minutes and spread them out over however many days are necessary to get the job done. Eliminate other things if you have to.
- As you’re planning your day, prioritize your to-do actions and handle the most important one early in the day. Pick the one that will make the most difference to you, your business and your clients and focus your attention there. Tackle that one first thing in the morning and get it done, before other issues grab your attention. That way, if your day gets disrupted, at least you’ve accomplished the most important thing.
Don’t even look at your email or listen to voicemail until after the most important task is done. Discipline yourself to stay focused and avoid distractions throughout the day. Don’t be tempted to finish up all the little tasks that are nagging at you so that you can “really concentrate” on that important one.
- When you have something new you need to fit into a day that is already full, reconsider your priorities, delay something, delegate something, or delete something.
- It’s perfectly acceptable to postpone an item that’s on your to-do list if it isn’t urgent or important. Move it to another day when you can squeeze it in. However, if you find that you keep forwarding it for weeks, reevaluate if it should be on your list at all.
Don’t demoralize yourself with an unrealistically long to-do list that you will never get done. As with most things, the 80/20 rule applies. 20 percent of the tasks on your list will contribute to 80 percent of your success. The secret lies in determining which items really deserve to be on your list!
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