Most productive people have a to-do list. They realized a long time ago that working from a list just makes a lot of sense. Being productive requires juggling a lot of tasks and projects on any given day. I'm not a fan of multi-tasking but, in the busy world most of us live in, keeping several balls in the air is a necessity.
If you agree that it makes sense to always work from a list, then it will probably make sense to also make sure you're working from a smart to-do list. A place where you've captured all those things that have to get done and those promises that need to be followed up on just improve the quality of your day. I'd argue that the health of your to-do list mirrors the health of your daily productivity.
Starting Point - Keep a Master Task List
The basic idea of a to-do list is to keep track of those things that should be done. Keeping a master list of all those projects and promises is the starting point for creating a smart to-do list. There's real value in getting ideas, projects and promises out of your head and onto paper as quickly as possible.
Ideas are funny things. If not captured quickly, they'll disappear quickly. Create the habit of writing down productive thoughts, important tasks and especially those promises in one central location, where you'll always know where they'll be.
Common Qualities of a Smart To-Do List
One of the benefits of capturing thoughts, tasks and promises is that you'll be able to sort out the important tasks from things that would just be nice to do, or those things that seemed like a good idea at the time but have now lost their luster.
Smart to-do's:
· Are actionable
· Are actionable in a short period of time
· Will move you toward completion of an important goal or project
· Are things you're responsible for - not someone else
Always Think "Next Action"
David Allen, in his classic book, "Getting Things Done," talks about the importance of "next actions." Those next actions are defined as "the next physical, visible activity that needs to be engaged in, in order to move the current reality forward."
Almost all projects require more than one activity in order to complete. Being able to break a larger project into smaller, more manageable tasks is one of the keys to creating a smarter to-do list.
The Formula for a Smart To-Do List
Remember that making a smart to-do list is important but the magic of the list is found in action - not in simply crafting a smart list. Accomplishment is about doing, not about dreaming. You can't wish your tasks to completion.
Use this formula to create a visual picture of how your tasks, and ultimately your project, will be completed. The formula is Verb + Noun + Date = a completed action. Here are a couple of examples: "Call Jim on Tuesday and schedule his performance review," or "Draft outline for XYZ project by noon today."
The more specific the task, the better and size the task, so it's doable in a relatively short time.
Creating a smarter to-do list is really quite simple. Start with a master list of all those things you have to do, want to do or have promised to do. Always think "next action" and break those projects down into manageable tasks that can be completed quickly.
Les Taylor is a professional speaker, author, consultant, and recognized expert in the field of personal improvement and professional development. Get several "free" performance improvement resources at http://www.achievement-solutions.com/ also, read interesting and entertaining performance improvement articles at Les Taylor's blog at http://www.gettingmorewithles.com/
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