Learn more about personaldevelopment with this collection
How to set achievable goals
How to create and stick to a schedule
How to break down large projects into smaller manageable tasks
5. Write a “What I’ll Probably Do” List
"What do I actually think that I will do today?"Asking that question changes how you approach creating a to-do list for the day. Instead of planning based on what you hope to accomplish, you plan based on what you believe you actually will accomplish, which helps you create a better, more realistic plan.
If you find your reality rarely matches the plan you make ahead of time, try making your to-do list in answer to Forster’s question and see what difference it makes to your productivity.
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6. Draw Your To-Do List
So if you find you’re not getting enough done because you forget what you’ve planned for the day—or you’re wasting time looking at your to-do list over and over during the day try drawing it instead.
If drawing isn’t your strong suit, you can also try using a mind mapping tool.The visual na...
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3. Create a To-Do List for Each Week or Each Day
If you’ve deleted all of your no/low-value and nice-to-have tasks from your to-do list and still find it overwhelming, consider using one of the following prioritization techniques to create an individual to-do list for each week or day:
MITs – Zen to Done’s Leo Babauta rec...
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2. Delete Low/No-Value Tasks and Nice-To-Dos
One of the most common problems with to-do lists is that they’re overwhelming. When you’re constantly adding new to-dos to your list as they pop into your head, you often end up with dozens or hundreds of to-dos.
Deleting low-value, no-value, and nice-to-do tasks from your list helps you cr...
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4. Break Large To-Dos Down Into Smaller To-Dos
One of the quickest ways to get overwhelmed when looking at your to-do list is to have a list filled with monstrous tasks that will take weeks to complete.
- conduct keyword research
- conduct competitive research
- audit and catalog ...
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1. Note Why Each To-Do on Your List Is Important
"If you confront yourself each day with reminders of only the least enjoyable parts of your job, it’ll probably wind up sapping your motivation to come to work"
Consider adding a sentence to every task on your to-do list that explains the value of completing that task. If you can ...
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Related collections
Other curated ideas on this topic:
Creating A Don’t-Do List
Start by looking at your congested to-do list. There's no doubt that there are items in that list that you can get rid of. By doing that, ask yourself these questions:
- If we do this, will we be really good at it?
- Will it make a difference in the market?
Introspection: What not to do
- Don't think about yourself all the time.
- Don't ask why. "Why do I feel this way?" Our brains will point to the most obvious answer that confirms our pre-existing beliefs.
- Avoid asking yourself a question that is centered around the problem. "What diffi...
What it takes to write a book
The hardest part of a writer's job is sitting down to do the work. Writing happens in three phases.
- Beginning: You have to decide what you're going to write and how you're going to write it.
- Staying motivated: You will face self-doubt and ov...
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