Today is Wednesday, so this post is on performance.
I came across some great common sense advice on working with to-do lists in a back issue of The Office Professional the other day. My booklet 101 Common Sense Ideas for Building a Great Career was featured in a recent issue. Diane Moore, the Editor was kind enough to send me not only the issue in which my article appeared, but several back issues as well.
The article read in part:
- “Many people use to-do lists to keep themselves organized and on track, but turn this useful tool into a source of stress and frustration by letting it grow into a monster they can’t tame.”
Read on for five ideas on how to manage your to-do list and keep it under control…
Managing Your To-Do List
- Keep your to-do list unified and easy to access. Avoid the post it note syndrome – writing down various tasks you need to accomplish on stick notes that you post on your computer or bulletin board. Sticky notes get lost and attached to all kinds of things. Create a written to-do list that shows all of your tasks in one place, so you can see at a glance what you have on your plate.
- Record everything you need to do. It’s difficult to prioritize and organize your time when you don’t have an accurate and complete picture of all that you need to do. Record every task, large or small. Break large tasks, those that might take weeks or months to accomplish, into smaller doable steps you can complete in a day.
- Use a system to prioritize your list. The ABC method is the most common way to do this. “A” tasks are urgent and must be done immediately (writing daily blog posts is an “A” task for me). “B” tasks are important but don’t have to be done everyday or the same day (things that make my “B” task list usually have an end of the week deadline). “C” tasks are things that need to be done, but not within a week. Another way of prioritizing your list is to put a deadline next to each item. I use a combination approach. I create a deadline for every task and then I prioritize for each day.
- Separate the most important tasks from the master list. Create a short list of tasks everyday. Take the three most important tasks on your prioritized master list and enter them into your daily planner where you’ll be sure to see them often during the course of the day.
- Focus on your top three priorities. Focus on your top three priorities every day. Short of a real emergency, don’t let anything distract you from those priorities.
This common sense advice is applicable for everyone who wants to perform at a consistently high level. Use these ideas and you’ll accomplish more and feel less overwhelmed everyday.
That’s it for today. Thanks for reading. Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense. Check out my other blog: www.CommonSenseGuy.com for common sense advice on leading people and running a small business.
I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.
Bud
PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open. Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.
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