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

Ideas, facts & insights covering these topics:

7 ideas

·

24.4K reads

20

1

Explore the World's Best Ideas

Join today and uncover 100+ curated journeys from 50+ topics. Unlock access to our mobile app with extensive features.

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.

1.35K

5.05K reads

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.

1.49K

3.45K reads

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.

1.44K

3.31K reads

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.

1.75K

3.45K reads

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.

1.52K

2.99K reads

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.

1.5K

2.72K reads

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.

1.53K

3.49K reads

IDEAS CURATED BY

kaiz

Into habits, productivity hacks and time-management.

Kai Z.'s ideas are part of this journey:

Digital Wellbeing

Learn more about timemanagement with this collection

How to manage digital distractions

The impact of technology on mental health

The importance of setting boundaries

Related collections

Read & Learn

20x Faster

without
deepstash

with
deepstash

with

deepstash

Personalized microlearning

100+ Learning Journeys

Access to 200,000+ ideas

Access to the mobile app

Unlimited idea saving

Unlimited history

Unlimited listening to ideas

Downloading & offline access

Supercharge your mind with one idea per day

Enter your email and spend 1 minute every day to learn something new.

Email

I agree to receive email updates