<p>The last thing you need at the end of the day is to be thinking about work on the way home. Scribble down a quick to-do list for the next day <strong>just before you leave </strong>. Lock those buzzing thoughts inside the office, not inside your head. You can come back and update it in the morning if you must. </p><p>Keep it short, manageable and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/17/to-do-lists-time-blocking-performance-time-management">flexible </a>. Repeat after me: <strong>‘I can only do what I have time for.’ </strong>Tell your boss, tell your colleagues, tell yourself. </p><p>Now that you can see what you don’t have time for, <strong>ask for help. </strong> </p>

1.   Schedule for tomorrow at the end of today

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<a href="https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/author/maddy-leslie" dir="ltr">Maddy Leslie</a> on 22-May-2018 10:08:50
</div><img src="https://www.turbinehq.com/hubfs/facebook-social.svg" alt="Share on facebook" width="30" height="30"><img src="https://www.turbinehq.com/hubfs/linkedin-social.svg" alt="Share on linkedin" width="30" height="30"><img src="https://www.turbinehq.com/hubfs/twitter-social.svg" alt="Share on twitter" width="30" height="30"><p>
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</p><img alt="New Call-to-action" height="208" width="250" src="https://www.turbinehq.com/hs-fs/hub/2183131/hub_generated/resized/7034943f-766b-43c5-80b0-b5e7a3166d65.png"><p>To-do lists. Some people swear by them. Some write them down just to ignore them. Others are so far out to sea that the shore of an organised, civilised, sane to-do list is a speck on the horizon. It’s okay. Have a paddle. Let’s get your feet on dry land.</p><p dir="ltr">Here are 10 quick to-do list tips for better <a href="https://www.turbinehq.com/time-off-requests" dir="ltr">time management</a>.</p><h2>1.&nbsp;&nbsp; Schedule for tomorrow at the end of today</h2><p dir="ltr">The last thing you need at the end of the day is to be thinking about work on the way home. Scribble down a quick to-do list for the next day <strong dir="ltr">just before you leave</strong>. Lock those buzzing thoughts inside the office, not inside your head. You can come back and update it in the morning if you must.</p><img alt="New Call-to-action" height="94" width="737" src="https://www.turbinehq.com/hs-fs/hub/2183131/hub_generated/resized/70660648-a09b-44f3-aa09-e5fd5acddb78.png"><h2>2.&nbsp;&nbsp; Keep it simple, stupid.</h2><p dir="ltr">Keep it short, manageable and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/17/to-do-lists-time-blocking-performance-time-management" dir="ltr">flexible</a>. Repeat after me: <strong dir="ltr">‘I can only do what I have time for.’</strong> Tell your boss, tell your colleagues, tell yourself.</p><h2>3.&nbsp;&nbsp; ‘Help!’</h2><p dir="ltr">Now that you can see what you don’t have time for, <strong dir="ltr">ask for help.</strong></p><h2>4.&nbsp;&nbsp; Build a might to-do list</h2><p dir="ltr">You have a whole load of ‘I’ll get around to it at some point’ projects. You need to sort the inventory or clean out your in-tray. Write those ideas down and keep that list alive by updating it and integrating a project or two into your working week. It’s not your to-do list, it’s your <strong dir="ltr">might-do list.</strong> No pressure.</p><h2>5.&nbsp;&nbsp; Slow and steady wins the race</h2><p dir="ltr">Whether personal or for business, you are probably aiming for a long-term target. To really get a sense of forward momentum, spend time each day on the big goals – even if it’s just thinking time. <strong dir="ltr">Dreams are realised by increments.</strong></p><h2>6.&nbsp;&nbsp; Big and small lists</h2><p dir="ltr">Write two to-do lists (stay with me here). The first is the big stuff; it’s the few things you need to prioritise that are urgent or that will <a href="https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/time-management" dir="ltr">take the most time</a>. The second is the fiddly tasks. If you feel overwhelmed by the big stuff, sweat the small stuff for a bit, then come back to it.</p><h2>7.&nbsp;&nbsp; Use your time wisely</h2><p dir="ltr">Everyone has their own productivity cycle. Is your focus level at a hundred percent in the morning but down to fifty after lunch? Then <strong dir="ltr">schedule your non-thinking tasks</strong>, like checking emails, for the afternoon.</p><h2>8.&nbsp;&nbsp; Application integration</h2><p dir="ltr">Integrate your to-do list with your calendar so that everything is co-ordinated. You might want to <a href="https://zapier.com/blog/best-todo-list-apps/" dir="ltr">use an app</a> to help build those connections.</p><h2>9.&nbsp;&nbsp; Seriously, use your time wisely</h2><p dir="ltr">Add padding on the time it will take to do a task. It usually takes longer than you think, and who said you had to be sprinting through the day anyway? Are you some kind of robot? If you finish something a little earlier than expected, take a moment. Breathe. <strong dir="ltr">Push back on pressure to pack your schedule</strong>, or the result will be sloppy work, stress and frustration.</p><h2>10. Reward yourself</h2><p dir="ltr">Whether it’s <a href="https://habitica.com/static/home" dir="ltr">gamification</a> or a promise to yourself of an after-work <a href="https://vincarta.com/blog/bordeaux-wine-facts/" dir="ltr">Bordeaux Blanc</a>, find a way to reward yourself for getting through a to-do list. You deserve it.</p><h2>Let the machines take care of it</h2><p dir="ltr">What? After all that, your to-do list is <strong dir="ltr">still</strong> unmanageable? Time for drastic measures. Either you need more people to support your business growth, or, you could do with some <strong dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.turbinehq.com/" dir="ltr">strategic automation</a></strong>. Get the little things out the way so you can focus on the important stuff – like planning the company barbecue. Kebabs or sausages… Go on – why not both?</p><img alt="New Call-to-action" height="148" width="671" src="https://www.turbinehq.com/hs-fs/hub/2183131/hub_generated/resized/9a49ccf1-2d0d-46f6-b4f8-729b0f32433b.png">

All too often, to-do lists are complicated and inefficient. Read our blog to find out our 10 quick to-do list tips for better time management.

productivity

Productivity

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

problemsolving

Problem Solving

timemanagement

Time Management

<p>To-do lists. Some people swear by them. Some write them down just to ignore them. Others are so far out to sea that the shore of an organised, civilised, sane to-do list is a speck on the horizon. It’s okay. Have a paddle. Let’s get your feet on dry land. </p>

<p>Here are 10 quick to-do list tips for better <a href="https://www.turbinehq.com/time-off-requests">time management </a>. </p>

<p>The last thing you need at the end of the day is to be thinking about work on the way home. Scribble down a quick to-do list for the next day <strong>just before you leave </strong>. Lock those buzzing thoughts inside the office, not inside your head. You can come back and update it in the morning if you must. </p>

<p>Keep it short, manageable and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/17/to-do-lists-time-blocking-performance-time-management">flexible </a>. Repeat after me: <strong>‘I can only do what I have time for.’ </strong>Tell your boss, tell your colleagues, tell yourself. </p>

<p>You have a whole load of ‘I’ll get around to it at some point’ projects. You need to sort the inventory or clean out your in-tray. Write those ideas down and keep that list alive by updating it and integrating a project or two into your working week. It’s not your to-do list, it’s your <strong>might-do list. </strong>No pressure. </p>

<p>Whether personal or for business, you are probably aiming for a long-term target. To really get a sense of forward momentum, spend time each day on the big goals – even if it’s just thinking time. <strong>Dreams are realised by increments. </strong> </p>

<p>Write two to-do lists (stay with me here). The first is the big stuff; it’s the few things you need to prioritise that are urgent or that will <a href="https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/time-management">take the most time </a>. The second is the fiddly tasks. If you feel overwhelmed by the big stuff, sweat the small stuff for a bit, then come back to it. </p>

<p>Everyone has their own productivity cycle. Is your focus level at a hundred percent in the morning but down to fifty after lunch? Then <strong>schedule your non-thinking tasks </strong>, like checking emails, for the afternoon. </p>

<p>Integrate your to-do list with your calendar so that everything is co-ordinated. You might want to <a href="https://zapier.com/blog/best-todo-list-apps/">use an app </a>to help build those connections. </p>

<p>Add padding on the time it will take to do a task. It usually takes longer than you think, and who said you had to be sprinting through the day anyway? Are you some kind of robot? If you finish something a little earlier than expected, take a moment. Breathe. <strong>Push back on pressure to pack your schedule </strong>, or the result will be sloppy work, stress and frustration. </p>

<p>Whether it’s <a href="https://habitica.com/static/home">gamification </a>or a promise to yourself of an after-work <a href="https://vincarta.com/blog/bordeaux-wine-facts/">Bordeaux Blanc </a>, find a way to reward yourself for getting through a to-do list. You deserve it. </p>

<p>What? After all that, your to-do list is <strong>still </strong>unmanageable? Time for drastic measures. Either you need more people to support your business growth, or, you could do with some <strong><a href="https://www.turbinehq.com/">strategic automation </a> </strong>. Get the little things out the way so you can focus on the important stuff – like planning the company barbecue. Kebabs or sausages… Go on – why not both? </p>

10 quick to-do list tips for better time management

1. Schedule for tomorrow at the end of today

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