TO DO LIST!

This is the current craze in my organization. Every member of staff is expected to send in his/her to in before a particular time daily. It has clearly increased individual as well as overall organizational effectiveness right from the day we started it.


If you often struggle with staying on task, one way of combating this is by making lists. This article lists 7 things to remember about to-do lists. I know you’ve heard time and time again that you need to make lists. Here’s why it’s important to have a to do list.


1. It will help you to remember what you have to do today.

Because it is documented, it becomes a reference tool and one hardly forgets what one is expected to do in the course of the day.


2. A to do list keeps you on task.

Sometimes you get distracted by things such as forums, games, or chatting when you’re supposed to be finishing a project.
One surefire way to combat that is to keep that to do list in front of you to serve as a gentle reminder before you go to that non business related/personal forum and spend hours reading the posts.


3. When you complete the items on your to do list you feel a sense of accomplishment.

I don’t know about you, but I get a warm and fuzzy feeling when I can tick items off of the to-do list.
Even when I have completed a "small" task it makes me feel good to know that there’s one less thing that I have to do.


4. A to do list should be recorded somewhere. It doesn’t count if the list exists in your head. You are guaranteed to forget something.

Write it down, put it on your pda, use outlook, do whatever you have to do to get your to do list recorded.


5. A to do list is never set in stone.

It’s just a guide for the day, week, month or year. You should always allow room for the unexpected to happen. You could get sick or there could be a dire emergency with one of your clients. You may have to work overtime on your job. You could get stuck in traffic. Always allow a cushion for these sort of things.


6. Your to do list should be realistic.

If you work a full time job and are running a business, don’t put too many things on your daily to do list or you’ll feel discouraged when you don’t get all of the things accomplished on your list.


7. Make sure to include some time for fun in your to-do list.

You should always schedule at least one hour of "me time" on your to do list. This could be your time to exercise, read or write in your journal/blog. It’s important to have down time so you don’t get stressed out.


These are just a few ways to manage your time better. I hope you find them useful especially at this time of the year that you're full of energy and revving to go as far as achieving your goals is concerned.

All the best!