To-Do List Formula: A Stress-Free Guide To Creating To-Do Lists That Work!

by Damon Zahariades

What types of tasks are candidates for removal? Look for these four items: Wishes Unclear tasks Trivial tasks Resolutions

Most people neglect to take this step. Sadly, it’s one of the most damaging omissions they can make. It can mean the difference between getting through their to-do lists and feeling frustrated and overwhelmed by them at the end of the day. In order to calculate a task’s estimated completion time, you must know what is required to do the task. This includes tools, information, and input from others. For example, suppose one of the tasks on your to-do list is to “finish the accounts receivable report for boss.” In order to complete the report, you may need input from your company’s sales department. You might also need to refer to last week’s accounts receivable and cash flow reports. How long will it take you to obtain the necessary information and resources? These requirements should be taken into account when estimating the task’s completion time.

Resist the temptation to guess. We tend to be overly optimistic regarding our ability to get things done. We underestimate the time we need. Be aware of this tendency.

Step 9: Lead Each Task With An Active Verb

When you phrase a task with a verb, the task comes alive. It goes from being a mere line item on your to-do list to being an actionable assignment. The verb triggers something in the brain, prompting it to focus on completing the item.

lack verbs: Laundry Sandra’s birthday cake Accounts receivable report Car tires Breakfast with parents Notice how the tasks lack emotional and motivational power. We can fix that by adding verbs to them: Start a load of laundry Buy a cake for Sandra’s birthday Finish the accounts receivable report Check the pressure in my car’s tires Call parents to plan breakfast date

For example, consider the to-do item “contact Bob about the TPS report.” The verb “contact” is helpful, but imprecise. It can mean any of the following: Call Bob on the phone Email Bob Send Bob a text message Stop by Bob’s office Leave Bob a message in his inbox There’s value in choosing the precise verb that defines the task. Again, be specific. Will you call Bob or email him? Will you text him or stop by his office? The right verbs encourage execution. They encourage you to take action. The wrong ones do the opposite. They encourage procrastination. Verbs like explore, plan, and touch base lack specificity. As a result, they’re less effective than verbs like research, draft, and call. These latter choices have more impact because they imply specific actions. They leave nothing open to interpretation.

Step 10: Note Which Tasks Require Input From Others

Tip #1: Keep A “Tiny Task” Batch List

Each of these tasks can be completed in a few minutes. The problem is, when you address them sporadically throughout your day, you risk them becoming distractions. They’ll interrupt your workflow, derailing your momentum and destroying your creativity. They’ll tempt you to multitask, which will introduce task switching costs. Switching costs negatively impact your performance and cause your productivity to plummet.

Exemplo de escrever de 1 a 10. A até b. E em romano

Whenever possible, batch together tasks that are related by context. For example, if you need to return several emails, treat each one as a separate to-do item and handle all of them during a single batch session. Likewise, if you need to do several chores at home, batch them together and address them at the same time.

Tip #2: Remain Vigilant Against Feeling Overwhelmed

You’ve no doubt experienced it at some point. For example, you’ve checked your email and become discouraged after seeing hundreds of messages sitting in your inbox. You’ve looked at your master to-do list and become disheartened by its length and lack of task-level context. You’ve looked at your daily to-do list and become demoralized after discovering the items you’ve included are vague projects rather than actionable tasks.

Don’t underestimate the demotivating power of feeling overwhelmed. It will raise your stress levels, make you more susceptible to distractions, and prevent you from getting important stuff done.

Tip #3: Define Your To-Do Lists By Context

Tip #4: Conduct Weekly Reviews

Most people neglect to conduct regularly-scheduled reviews. They think them unnecessary. They assume they have a solid grasp of their workload, and thus formal reviews would be a waste of time.

Tip #5: Update Your List Of Goals

Second, write down your goals. You’ll be less likely to abandon them.

Tip #6: Avoid Getting Bogged Down In Methodology

Tip #7: Build And Follow A System That Works For YOU

The second challenge is that skipping a day or two can have a snowball effect. Once you skip a day, it becomes easier to skip forthcoming days.

Why does this happen? It happens because any productivity system, whether it’s focused on task management or workflow efficiency, is a series of learned behaviors. Keeping it running smoothly requires developing new habits and applying them with consistency. It takes commitment and resilience.

Others take the opposite approach. They acknowledge that perfection is a pipe dream. A delusion. They expect to stumble occasionally. Instead of giving up, however, they forgive themselves and get back in the proverbial saddle. I encourage you to take this latter approach if, or when, you stumble. Don’t beat yourself up; self-guilt has no value. Instead, brush the dust off and forgive yourself.

Once you know the reason (or reasons) for your slip-up, you can make changes to correct the underlying problem.

properly-developed and consistently-executed to-do list system will improve your productivity as well as your quality of life. You’ll experience less stress and enjoy more free time to connect with those whom you love. You’ll also enjoy more freedom to pursue personal interests.

If you manage projects and teams, try Trello. Like Todoist, it’s free with a lot of useful features. You can upgrade to a premium account if the need arises.

How To Incorporate Your Calendar Into Your To-Do Lists

Here’s a simple approach: First, at the end of the day, review your calendar for the following day. Determine when you’ll be in meetings, on conference calls, or otherwise unavailable. Second, estimate how much time you’ll be able to allocate to your to-do items. Don’t forget to leave yourself time for lunch and breaks. Also, pad the estimate to accommodate unexpected delays - for example, impromptu requests for help from your boss and coworkers.

For example, suppose this is your schedule for tomorrow: 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. - Meeting with your boss 10:30 a.m. to noon - Conference call with sales team Noon to 1:00 p.m. - Lunch 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. - Department meeting The above schedule reveals the periods during which you’ll be available to work through your to-do list: 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. That’s five and a half hours. Trim 45 minutes for breaks and impromptu requests, and you’re left with four hours and 45 minutes. You can now create a realistic to-do list for tomorrow based on your availability. Your to-do list is an inventory of what you hope to accomplish during the course of a given day. Your calendar determines whether it’s possible. Working with one tool, but not the other, is a recipe for failure. Use them both to manage your time effectively and set reasonable, realistic daily productivity goals.

What Is A “Done List” (And Should You Keep One)?

One of the most common challenges to staying productive over the long run is a lack of motivation. You know the feeling. You run around all day to get things done only to wonder at the end of the day “where the heck did I spend my time?” Everyone goes through this. Everyone experiences this feeling from time to time. Many experience it on a regular basis.

A “done list” seeks to fix this problem. It records all of the tasks you accomplish throughout the day. The idea is that seeing the completed tasks will inspire you to get more done. The done list rejuvenates you, filling you with the motivation you need to press onward. So, does it work? Can a done list actually motivate you to take action? It depends. If you need motivation to work on tasks, this can be a sound strategy. Your done list will highlight your accomplishments during the day and ensure that you don’t forget about them. In contrast, when you work from a to-do list, crossing off tasks as you complete them, it’s easy to overlook how much you’ve actually gotten done.