The Key to Efficiency is a Great To-do List

Symptoms of no To-do lists and Benefits of Having them.

Do you frequently feel overwhelmed by the amount of work you have to do? Do you face a constant barrage of looming deadlines? Or, do you sometimes just forget to do something important, so that people have to chase you to get work done? All of these are symptoms of not keeping a proper to-do list.

To-do lists are prioritized lists of all the tasks that you need to carry out. They list everything that you have to do, with all the important tasks at the top of the list, and the least important tasks at the bottom. While it seems like a simple thing to master, it can be tricky. And it's only when people start to use to-do lists properly that they make their breakthrough in time management. Then they start to see real success in their personal lives and careers.

When you make a to-do list, make sure that you capture all of the tasks you have to complete in one place. This is essential if you're not going to forget things. Another important concept is prioritizing work. You need to plan the order in which you'll do things, so you can tell what needs your immediate attention. Everything else you can quietly forget about until later. This is essential if you're going to beat work overload. Without to-do lists, you'll seem disoriented, unfocused and unreliable to the people around you. With to-do lists, you'll be much better organized, and will seem much more reliable. This is crucial to success on any level!

Preparing a To-do List

Start by writing down all of the tasks that you need to complete, and if they are large, break them down into their component parts. If these still seem large, break them down again. Do this until you have listed everything that you have to do, and until tasks fit within a 1-2 hour completion time. This may be a intimidating task and the to-do list that you end up with may seem impossible to finish, but don't worry, the next step makes it manageable.

Next, run through your lists of tasks and label them according to priority from A (very important or urgent) to F (unimportant, or not urgent at all). If too many tasks have high priority, run through the list again and demote the less important ones. Once you have done this, rewrite the list with A-labeled tasks at the top and so on.

Now you have a precise plan that you can use to eliminate the jobs that need doing, or simply put, to "get 'er done!" You will now be able to tackle your to-dos in order of importance, which allows you to be more efficient and avoid spending too much time on trivial tasks.

Tip #1:Once you're comfortable with using your to-do lists, you need to start paying more careful attention to differentiating between urgent tasks (these need to be done immediately regardless of the type of task) and important (these tasks move you quickly along toward your ultimate goal).

Using Your To-do Lists

Different people use to-do lists in different ways in different situations. For example, if you are in a sales-type role, a good way of motivating your self is to keep your list relatively short and aim to complete it every day. In an managerial or operational role, or if tasks are large and dependent on many other people, then it may be better to keep one list and chip away at it. It's OK to carry over the unimportant tasks from one to-do list to the next.

You may not be able to complete some very low priority to-dos for months. Only worry about this if you need to, ie. there is a deadline you have to meet for them. Also, you can always raise the priority of a generally unimportant task if it becomes urgent.

Tip #2:Use specific action verbs when writing out a task, and include as many details as you'll need to get it done. "Make dentist appointment" is too general. When you write that task down, use an actionable verb (call or email are good examples) and include whatever details your future self needs to check it off. "Call Dr. M at 212-917-4565 before Jan 19" is an example of a specific, detailed task--one that you can get done quickly because you're motivated by having all the details in front of you.

Ultimately, the power of a to-do list lies in your seriousness when approaching it. Follow the directions I've given here, and you'll be on your way to getting more done than you ever thought possible in a short period of time. To-do lists hold the power to advance you in your personal life or career (in any industry). So what are you waiting for? Start making a to-do list right now! Success is calling.