Get It Done Strategy

Like many, I write up a to-do list at the beginning of the day as a way to begin organizing how I spend my time.  Over the years I’ve tried different strategies and many productivity planners in an effort to conquer the overwhelm of a to-do list and accomplish the tasks.

Today my to-do list strategy is a combination of my experimentation and trials to seeing what works best for me.  My goal is to get done what I want to accomplish without feeling overwhelmed or stress as both of these are “stuck in my tracks” type of feelings.  So I have developed ways to approach my tasks in a what that helps my brain to organize into key categories.

Step 1:  I write down everything I think I “need” to do.  All of the projects, tasks, communications, etc.  Some might be time-consuming and others might be simple (but valuable to me) like walking outside to get coffee.

Step 2:  I then create a new list that breaks each to-do into a category of focus.

1. What 3 things am I not doing today?  Yup.  NOT doing.  We all have tasks on our to-do list that may not require tending to today.  Once I put them on this list, then I told myself that these are for another day.  And I usually stop thinking about them until the next day.
2. What 3 things can I delegate?  Sometimes it is hard to give up a task (thinking I’m the only one that can do it!), so this is my gentle reminder that others are capable.  What can I have someone else do?  How can I present it to give them a chance to grow?  How can I use this as an opportunity to support someone else to become more valuable to the team?
3. What 3 things are a priority and must absolutely get done today?  If there is any doubt, I do not put it on this part of the list.  These are ones that no matter what happens in my day, I get them completed.  This is my commitment to myself, a promise.
4. What 3 things are fun to do today?  My list may not always have fun tasks, so this is my chance to decide how I will include some fun into my day.

Sometimes I write them on a blank piece of paper, and other times it is a spreadsheet or post-it notes.  So you can create your lists any way that you like, but organizing the top (and bottom) tasks into these categories can be a helpful way to think about your to-do list.

What’s your go-to for creating your to-do’s for each day?

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