How to transform your to-do list into a productivity power tool - Deepstash
How to transform your to-do list into a productivity power tool

How to transform your to-do list into a productivity power tool

Curated from: fastcompany.com

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In need of a makeover

A to-do list can be helpful but is often not used successfully. If you end the day with things undone or if you regularly carry tasks forward, you need a to-do list makeover.

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Get clear on what's important

  • Most people are unaware of their priorities. Our priorities are the things that are most important to us right now. Not serving them is non-negotiable.

  • People are capable of having two or three priorities. More priorities leave them scattered and unfulfilled, filling their time with stuff that doesn't matter.

  • Once you know your priorities, everything on your to-do list should serve them. Look out for the 'shoulds' - they are not serving your priorities.

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Give tasks a value

Look over your to-do list and assign every task a value, such as a dollar-per-hour amount that you might have to pay someone else to do it. Score tasks from $10 per hour for administrative tasks up to $10,000 per hour for high-level strategy and sales-related tasks.

By giving dollar-per-hour values to specific tasks, you ensure you use your resources correctly.

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Measure a task’s urgency

Break down a master to-do list into four sections:

  • Urgent and important: These tasks should be done today.
  • Not urgent but important: Schedule these tasks for later.
  • Urgent and not important: These tasks should be delegated.
  • Not important and not urgent: Delete it from your list.

To move ahead of that to-do list, spend most of your time on tasks that are important but not yet urgent.

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Put the hard stuff first

We like to put the easy tasks on top of the to-do list because it feels good to finish a task. 

When you do that, you have less time for hard things. However, it is the hard stuff that serves your priorities.

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Be specific

  • Don't let your to-do list be vague, undefined, and unclear. Any action on your to-do list must have a particular outcome.
  • Consider how important each task is and what time frame you have to complete those tasks.
  • Group similar tasks together.
  • Break large tasks down into smaller steps to be completed over a period.

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Do a to-do list sprint

The hardest part is actually getting started on a task.
Ways to get started:

  • Work in sprints to see how much you can get done in one hour.
  • You can also set a timer for 15 minutes and commit to not give in to any distraction, including checking your phone.

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IDEAS CURATED BY

kaiz

Into habits, productivity hacks and time-management.

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