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4 ways to make your to-do list a whole lot sexier | A Life of Productivity
Create a “when-then” plan
To get something done, it helps to get very specific about what we’ll do and when we’ll do it.
Setting simple implementation intentions as part of a when-then plan make people as much as three times more likely to achieve their goals.
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Frame items in a positive way
Either [our goals are] about doing more of something good, or they’re about doing less of something bad.
Goals framed in a positive, constructive way are more powerful than “avoidance goals” in leading us to become more productive.
Why your goals matter
We’re more likely to get something done when we take a moment to think about why it matters to us personally.
Intrinsic goals are motivated by values meaningful to you, such as growth and relationships. These are much more motivating than extrinsic goals—efforts motivated by money, status, or other external factors.
Create a “when-then” plan
To get something done, it helps to get very specific about what we’ll do and when we’ll do it.
Setting simple implementation intentions as part of a when-then plan make people as much as three times more likely to achieve their goals.
Make your goals smaller
You’ll get more stuff done when you break your bigger daily goals into bite-sized chunks.
In practice, you’re basically breaking an item on your to-do list down into many mini ones. This makes it feel as though your goals are more within reach.
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Make planning a habit
Some mornings we feel motivated to create a to-do list, but that is often the exception. We need to get things done, even when we feel disengaged.
Start by setting the alarm for you...
Align your to-do list with goals
- Break down your big goals into daily tasks. You can't add "Get in shape" to your daily to-do list, but you can add "spend 30 minutes on my bike."
- Consider your week as a whole. You likely have multiple goals. Some goals benefit from daily activity, while working towards others a few times a week can create momentum.
- Add your have-to-do tasks last. We often fill our to-do lists with have-to-do tasks that crowd the whole day. Adding it last forces you to fit your have-to-do tasks around your goal tasks.
Have one daily priority
Many of us start our mornings with dozens of things we need to get done, but later realize that we haven't crossed any of them off our lists. We did get stuff done, but none of the things we planned.
A balm against hectic days that pass without progress is to choose a single activity to prioritize and protect in your calendar. If you struggle to select your top priority, ask yourself, when you look back on your day, what do you want the highlight to be? That's your priority.
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To-Do Lists
Your to-do list can be a tool that guides you through your work, or it can be a big fat pillar of undone time bombs taunting you and your unproductive inadequacy.
If the instructions are c...
The two modes
- When a project or task comes up, the steps you need to take start to form in your mind. Now you're in thinking/Boss mode.
- Your to-do list is a collection of those orders, which your Assistant personality will later pick up and do.
Put Items That You're Definitely Doing
Instead of letting tasks you're not quite committed to loiter on your to-do list until you're sick of looking at them, move them off to a separate list, a holding area for Someday/Maybe items.
Only concrete actions you're committed to completing should live on your to-do list.
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Make a Brain Dump Plan
When you’re in concentration mode, you need a way to quickly record and store any passing thoughts that are important but unrelated to your current project.
Track Your Time Relentlessly
Consistent time tracking keeps you honest about your own productivity and reveals opportunities for improvement.
If you discover that you’re spending too much time on projects that don’t matter to you, or too little time on those that do, you can make deliberate adjustments.
Try Single-Tasking
Resist the pressure to multi-task, which will leave you feeling scattered and with your powers of concentration spread thin.
Single-tasking – applying all your brainpower to a specific task for a short burst – is more effective. Close all the tabs on your browser, ignore your inbox and get to work.
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