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How Writing To-Do Lists Helps Your Brain (Whether Or Not You Finish Them)
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Writing helps your memory
When you take notes, you need to filter external information, summarize it in your head, and then write it down.
Your brain decides which pieces of information to hang onto for later, partly as a result of how much work you do to them upfront–so the more you mentally manipulate a piece of information, the better you’ll remember it.
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Planning your goals
Planning turns abstract goals into concrete work.
For most people, the challenge is making sure we get the big-picture projects done, those that make work fulfilling. And it's hard to achieve them without breaking them into a coherent set of concrete actions you can take on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
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To-do lists and calendars
Once you write down the tasks you need to perform, you then have to clear space in your day to put some of those tasks onto your calendar.
This calendar maintenance is itself a useful exercise for fighting the tide of interruptions you’re always facing. It pulls your brain out of a reactive mode and forces you to think about the long term.
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Motivation is a muscle that we need to build
Motivation does not happen to us. It is a muscle that we need to build. After an inspirational talk, we might feel motivated for a while but will fall back to our old routines.
Wha...
How to set the motivation flywheel in action
Knowing what keeps you back is as valuable as determining how to get started.
- What are the bottlenecks to get you started?
- What can cause you to stop once you start?
- How do you know what to do once you get started?
- What if you're not capable of achieving your goals?
- How would you know if you're making progress?
Don’t wait until you're ready, start today
- Even if you don't feel like it, take control by starting today.
- Shift your mental energy from thinking to doing.
- Believe there's no better day to start than today.
- Set a micro goal for today without worrying about tomorrow.
- Commit to taking one small step.
- Tell yourself that when you gain momentum, the task will become easier.
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Become more organized
In order to be successful and reach your goals, you need to be organized.
One first step in this direction refers to starting your day planning: choosing the agenda that wo...
Practice a lot
Acquiring organizational skills, as in getting better at planning, can take a while. While finding the appropriate agenda is essential, making a habit out of using it is just as important.
Plan important moments monthly
When preparing your schedule on a monthly basis, make sure to add not only the daily tasks and objectives, but also the big moments.
For instance, integrating your friends' birthdays can prove both useful and time saving for the future.
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A Specific Daily To-Do List
- You should only put things on a to-do list that you have the time and resources to achieve.
- Big goals and projects should be broken down into actionable tasks. ...
An Outsource List
- Look at everything on your to-do list and ask yourself, ‘Am I the only person who can do this?’
- Anything that can be given to someone else should be put on an outsource list.
- While outsourcing takes the extra time upfront to train someone else on the task, it saves you time later, which can be used to focus on the things you do have to do.
A Long-Term Goals List
Even if you think it’s too big of a dream but it’s something you want, write it down anyway.
When you write something down, studies say you’ll be 33% more likely to do it because it sets an intention and puts a goal into motion.