Important: how to write a to-do list by Divya Pahwa.
From the post:
I remember trying out my first hour-by-hour schedule to help me get things done when I was 10. Wasn’t really my thing. I’ve since retired the hourly schedule, but I still rely on a daily to-do list.
I went through the same motions every night in university. I wrote out, by hand, my to-do list for the next day, ranked by priority. Beside each task I wrote down the number of hours each task should take.
This was and still is a habit and finding a system that works has been a struggle for me. I’ve tested out a variety of methods, bought a number of books on the subject, and experimented: colour-coded writing, post-it note reminders in the bathroom, apps, day-timers….you name it, I’ve tried it.
In my moment of retrospection I still wasn’t sure if my current system was spot on. So, I went on an adventure to figure out the most effective way to not only write my daily to-do list but to get more things done.
(…)
A friend was recently tasked with reading the latest “fad” management book. I can’t mention its name in case it appears in a search, etc. But it is one of those big print, wide margins, “…this has never been said this way before…,” type books.
Of course it has never been said that way before. Every rogue has a unique pitch for every fool they meet. I thought everyone knew that. Apparently not since rogues have to assure us they are unique in such publications.
I can’t help my friend but when I saw this short post on to-do lists, I thought it might help both you and me.
Oh, I keep to-do lists but too much stuff falls over to the next day, next day, etc. Some weeks I am better than others. Some weeks are worse.
Take it as a reminder of a best practice. A best practice that will make you more productive at very little expense.
No tapes, audio book, paperback book, software, binders (spiral or otherwise), etc. Hell, you don’t even need a smart phone to do it. 😉
Read Divya’s post and more importantly, put it into practice for a week.
Did you get more done than the week before?