By Michelle Gilbert
Career Services Contributor
To-do lists are something on which I thrive. Perhaps over organized, my day or week does not feel complete unless some of those to-dos have successfully been checked off my professional and personal lists. So what happens when my day is too busy to complete that long list of to-dos? How do you manage to complete those items depicted on your list without feeling as if you have fallen behind? Or, how might a to-do list be used to increase your productivity at work? Forbes lists five tricks to help increase productivity and help you tackle your to-do list without feeling overwhelmed.
- “Keep a single to-do list for work.” It’s always good practice to keep your professional and your personal separate. Having a combined to-do list can be overwhelming and make you feel as if an end is never insight.
- “Follow the 1-3-5 rule.” Approach your to-do list as accomplishing one big thing, three medium and five small items. This will not only help you condense your growing list of to-dos but it will allow you to hopefully keep your priorities manageable on a daily basis.
- “Complete one significant task before lunch.” Take one of your medium tasks or a big task and check it off your to-do list before lunch. This can give you a feeling of accomplishment before the day is half way over.
- “Use your Calendar as a To-Do list.” If you have a calendar, whether it’s a paper calendar or one that’s connected to your email, use it! This will allow you to schedule time for each task that you want to accomplish such as your 1-3-5 items mentioned above. Using a calendar will allow you to block out the necessary time that may be needed.
- “Reduce meetings to increase productive time.” Are you finding that you’re stretching yourself throughout the day due to meetings and your never ending to-do list? Although it might be easier said than done, try and limit your meetings. If you know you have a busy day ahead, block out the time on your calendar to accomplish some of those to-do items.
Although some of these suggestions may need some extra planning – especially depending on your specific job – following these five tricks will set you on the right course, helping you organize your day-to-day to-do list just a little better.
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